The lightly raced but very well performed Ayrton might only have won up to Group 3 level in his first ten starts, which have yielded six wins, but the five-year-old son of Iffraaj has always commanded tremendous respect in terms of his perceived, superior ability and that level of interest will be ramped up again in the coming weeks as Ayrton prepares to return to race action for the first time since his run in the Stradbroke Handicap on June 11.
Mick Price, who co-trains Ayrton with Michael Kent (Jnr) gave his insight into Ayrton’s current progress and the horse’s path in the coming weeks in an interview with Racing.com.
“He’s going good that horse,” volunteered Price.
“He has spelled at Letitia Langbecker’s place in Queensland, so he has got a beautiful Queensland coat … he hasn’t got one of those winter coats.
“He is very sound and happy horse. He is good as gold. The issue he had … the spider-bite, whatever it was … is a thing of the past. We are not worried about it.
“He is sound, clean and happy … he’s good everywhere.
“He trialled on a wet track. He is not a wet tracker, but he trialled really well. J Kah rode him and he will trial again next week.
“Then he’s fresh up into the Rupert Clarke and then into the Toorak Handicap from there … and we’ll have a decision to make after the Toorak.
“The rider in the Rupert Clark has to determined yet. Jamie (Kah) is going to have a few options, so he’ll trial next week and she will let us know,” concluded Price.
*The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes takes place on September 17 over 1400m at Caulfield. The Toorak takes place at the same venue over 1600m on October 8. Both are Group 1 races