Flemington’s 2016 Coolmore Stud Stakes is the long-term spring assignment coming up for Mick Price’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice.
Blue Diamond winner Extreme Choice targets the 2016 Coolmore Stud Stakes in Flemington this spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Caulfield-based Price is plotting the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign of his gun young Not A Single Doubt colt, the rising three-year-old famous for his Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) win in late February.
Following the Blue Diamond, which was the horse’s third win from as many career starts, Extreme Choice failed to complete the 2YO classic autumn double when eighth to Capitalist in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19.
He’s been in the paddock since, but Price is keen to get him back in elite level company this time in again including a likely first-up run against the season’s sprint stars at Moonee Valley.
Extreme Choice is set to resume on September 30 in the $450,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), which has also been pencilled in for the first-up run of five-time Group 1 champion Chautauqua.
Price confirmed plans to later head to Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day where he’ll chase his maiden success in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
The past three Coolmore Stud Stakes winners came off a lead-up run in the Group 3 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, including Zoustar (2013) and Brazen Beau (2014) who both completed the double.
Price however plans to stick to a Melbourne-only Group 1 campaign for Extreme Choice who has come back in top order, putting on 50 – 60kg since his failed Golden Slipper bid.
“He’s looking great,” Price told Racing Victoria on Sunday.
“I’ve got two races in mind for him at the moment, the Moir and the Coolmore.
“He’ll go back into pre-training at Rockmount on June 20.”
As for stablemate Flying Artie, Price has ruled out a spring return for the Blue Diamond runner-up who backed up and ran third in the Golden Slipper.
“He was found to be suffering a minor sesamoid injury after his run in the Golden Slipper and he just needs a little bit of extra time,” he said of the talented Artie Schiller colt.
“The plan at this stage is to have him back next autumn.”
Already back in pre-training for Price at Limitless Lodge meanwhile is his Tavistock colt Tarzino, the rising four-year-old chasing more spring success after his Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) win last October.
His autumn campaign also netted some brilliant results including a second in Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and a win in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in Sydney by nearly two lengths.
Tarzino however failed at an interstate Derby double last time out on April 2 when running seven lengths away fourth to Tavago as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) during ‘The Championships’.
To back Price’s returning spring contingent at the guaranteed hottest horse racing odds, make sure you’ve got an account open and ready to go at Ladbrokes.com.au today!
