The Aidan O’Brien stable is not discounting the chances of Spirit Of Valor despite drawing the outside barrier in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on Friday night.

Jockey Oisin Murphy, above, rides Spirit Of Valor in the 2018 Manikato Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Spirit Of Valor is one of four O’Brien trained sprinters to run in the Manikato Stakes and jockey Oisin Murphy has a huge job ahead from barrier fourteen but stable representative T J Comerford is still giving the five year old some hope.

“I wouldn’t discount him,” Comerford told the Herald Sun.

“Spirit Of Valor was a good run in the Schillaci but hopefully he can get a bit of cover, Oisin.”

Comerford said.

“He ran very well, it was a big run from him.

“At home, he wouldn’t be as good as US Navy Flag but he seems to be turning the corner.

“He was just showing us that he was going the right way, you know, and you seen his work out there and he is going the best of the three of those.”

Spirit Of Valor found the line well, coming from midfield, when second to Ball Of Muscle in the August 22, 2018 Group 2 $400,000 Keno Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 13.

Despite drawing the outside gate, Spirit Of Valor has had some support in the betting at Ladbrokes.com.au and has firmed in from $15 to $12 for the Manikato Stakes while his stablemate U S Navy Flag (Ryan Moore, barrier 2) is on the third line of betting at $7.

O’Brien’s other two Manikato Stakes runners are both at double figure odds with Fleet Review (Kerrin McEvoy, barrier 11) at $34 and Intelligence Cross (Emmet McNamara, barrier 5) the outsider of the field at $71.

The Tony McEvoy trained Sunlight sits at the top of the market order at $4.60 just ahead of James Cummings’ Kementari at $5.50