Trainer Mick Price has decided against ‘wasting time’ with his Group Two-winning mare Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park), who goes straight to the top level when she runs first-up for jockey Michael Walker at Rosehill on Saturday in the A$600,000 Gr.1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
Price said that the Matriarch Stakes winner of last spring was not going to be competitive over the short courses so instead he has given her a long build-up on the training track, with special emphasis on her galloping the clockwise direction with a view to races in Sydney and Brisbane this autumn.
“She’s a Group Two winner and I can’t improve her by running her in moderate races,” Price said. “We’re putting 2000 metres and 2400 metres in front of her – maybe a Doomben Cup.
“She’s a mare so I want to run in good mares’ races and it’s a waste of time over 1200 or 1400 metres.
“We’ve done a fair bit of reverse way work with her and she is first-up in the race but if she can work home solidly and run in the first four or five, I’d be happy with that.
“Realistic expectations are that she just won’t go up there and win. She’ll settle in the back half of the field and work home solidly.
“If she was to win, it’s birthday cake time.”
Price said that although Oceanex does not have the physical aura of a Group One winner, he believes she is tough and likely to stay well.
“I have her nominated in all the big races because she’s a Group Two winner and she’s got really good form,” he said.
“She doesn’t bounce around at trackwork like a Group 1 mare but we’re going to take her through some good races to the Doomben Cup.”
The Gr.1 Doomben Cup is worth A$700,000 and will be run on May 16.
The Coolmore Classic is a race that Price has won before, as he saddled the 2011 winner Aloha (Encosta De Lago), who these days is better known as the mother of smart filly Libertini (I Am Invincible).
BetEasy has installed Team Hawkes mare Sylvia’s Mother (Snitzel) as the $4.20 early favourite for the Coolmore, with Oceanex at $34.
