Trainer Mick Price will resist the temptation to stretch Lankan Rupee out in trip despite his dashing win at Caulfield on Saturday.
Lankan Rupee ($5.50) scored his second straight victory, accelerating away to take out the KS Environmental Stakes (1000m) by 2-1/4 lengths over Magnier ($5.50).
Lankan Rupee winning the KS Environmental Plate at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
The Peter Moody-trained $3.60 favourite Planet Voyage set the pace until the home straight when he faded under pressure to cross the line third.
Price, who also trained Lankan Rupee’s Group winning dam Estelle Collection, said the more he saw of the three-year-old the more he was convinced he should compete over the shorter distances.
“I’m pretty sure he’s a sprinter,” Price said.
“He looks like a sprinter, he works like a sprinter so I think we’ll just keep him sprinting.
“I know there’s a few options this time of year but hopefully we can keep him alive until Derby Day.
“I think we’ll bust his arse if we go the wrong way with him.”
Price said he would now set Lankan Rupee for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 3.
“He’s a young horse learning and I think we’ll aim for the Coolmore,” Price said.
“He’s very well bred. He’s a lovely colt and I think he’s improving.
“Those horses with good pedigrees, if they run up to their pedigree and physically they’re right, they’re Group horses.
“That’s what we think of him so he’s on the right path.”
Price said he was more impressed with Saturday’s win than he was when Lankan Rupee scored first-up at Cranbourne on September 6 when he was “off and on.”
Jockey Craig Newitt also said Lankan Rupee was likely to step up in class but not in distance, in the near future.
“He’s very well bred and I’m sure later on he might run a trip but at the moment we’ll hopefully keep him sprinting,” Newitt said.
“I’m sure he’s got a nice win in him.”
Moody bounced back in the next race, producing the quinella in the Starlight Childrens Foundation Handicap (1100m) when he won with Dream Face, which beat home his other runner, Kulgrinda, by a length.
