Price expecting a Coolmore Stud Stakes spanking
MICK Price isn’t known to mix his words and the Victorian trainer believes his star three-year-old Extreme Choice will spank its rivals in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Price says his slick three-year-old has a better turn-of-foot than its opposition which includes Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and Golden Rose winner Astern.
“I think his last 200m, he’s the strongest finisher,” Price said. “It’s won him a Blue Diamond and a Moir and it will win him a Coolmore.
“We’ll spank them.”
Extreme Choice has been well-backed into $3 with CrownBet.com.au with stablemate Flying Artie drifting out to $11 despite winning the Blue Sapphire Stakes at its most recent outing.
Price said he has had this race in mind for both Extreme Choice and Flying Artie since they were two-year-olds.
“The Coolmore Stud was the race these two horses have been set for since they’ve been two-year-olds,” Price said. “I was planning on running Flying Artie first-up in the Coolmore Stakes but he came to hand quicker than what I expected.
“That run (Blue Sapphire Stakes) has done him the world of good.”
On the second line of betting at $3.90 with Sportsbet is Astern . The three-year-old won the Group 1 Golden Rose this season and trainer John O’Shea has fired back by stating the colt is the best he’s ever trained.
“I think he’s the best I’ve trained,” O’Shea said. “He’s ready.”
Jockey James McDonald took a more reserved approach when talking about the upcoming Coolmore Stud Stakes.
“I get goosebumps talking about him,” McDonald said.
“He’s in good form. He’s trialled up the straight so he should have got good experience from that.
“We’re taking on a very good line-up of three-year-olds and he’s going to have to be very good to beat them, but I think he’s a very good horse.”
Astern finished second behind race-rival and $12 chance Russian Revolution in the Roman Consul Stakes, but it ran some quick sectionals and it had many punters excited about its next run.
“He developed really well from his two-year-old to three-year-old season and his two-year-old season was brilliant. So it was a scary thing to witness,” McDonald said.
“He was a feisty two-year-old but he’s just a man now. He’s going to be taking on some exceptional sprinters but I think he’s up to it.”