Golden Slipper on the radar for Mick Price-trained juvenile

MICK Price has unearthed another quality two-year-old when King’s Authority won the Christmas Season 2YO Plate to open the card at Flemington on Saturday.

The son of Snitzel was a $280,000 sales purchase and it was worth the money as it sprinted away for a comfortable win down the Flemington straight.

Running into a strong wind, jockey Mark Zahra gave the colt cover behind race-favourite American Genius before switching ground multiples times and finding clear running room with 200 metres to go.

“I’m glad I got cover early because I reckon he might have overdone it into the breeze,” Zahra said.

Mick Price has planned an assault on the major two-year-old races this season having taken out the Blue Diamond with Extreme Choice this year.

“We’ll probably give him a breather and run him in one of the preludes into the Blue Diamond,” Price said. “He doesn’t have to go out, it would be nice to think we can go into the Blue Diamond and the (Golden) Slipper.

“It’s three weeks between, so I think he’ll pull up well.”

Price was happy with its debut performance and punters backed it late into $4.80 with CrownBet.com.au.

“He’s a nice colt, he’s got improvement in him. He has a good pair of knees and good shins on him,” Price said.

“There’s plenty of improvement to come and it was good to see him do it under pressure. He’s still learning a fair bit so I thought he did a good job to go left, go left and go left again, and still have a really good finish on him.

“He’s a good colt and he’s going somewhere.”

King’s Authority didn’t show the same speed as the likes of Extreme Choice and Flying Artie, but he’s happy with what he’s seen on race day with the addition of blinkers.

“He didn’t trial like some of the fast two-year-olds like last year, but it doesn’t matter, it’s what they do under pressure,” Price said.

“He’s better in blinkers and he’ll be a Blue Diamond, hopefully Golden Slipper horse.”

Aspen Angel battled on nicely for second after sitting in behind the speed and American Genius scored its third consecutive third placing to start its career.

The disappointing run came from $3.60 second favourite Totten, which faced the breeze in front and noticeably weakened early in the straight.

King’s Authority has firmed into $31 at Sportsbet for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 25.

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