Local Caulfield horseman Mick Price is confident his Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss can be competitive second-up in the 2018 Futurity Stakes this weekend on Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
Mighty Boss can improve on an unplaced CF Orr Stakes run second-up in Saturday’s 2018 Futurity Stakes back over 1400m at Caulfield. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The three-year-old Not A Single Doubt colt resumed at the same track and distance a fortnight back when luckless in his seventh behind Hartnell, only a length beaten in the Group 1 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m).
That was the chestnut’s first run since scoring the boilover at big odds at Caulfield in mid-October’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Price is keen to stick on the intended Melbourne Festival of Racing path with the up-and-comer and again run Mighty Boss against the older gallopers at weight-for-age on the weekend.
Out to All Too Hard (2013) as just the second winner of the race since Reset (2004), Mighty Boss will line-up in the Group 1 $500,000 italktravel Futurity Stakes (1400m).
“He’s a tough horse, and I think he’s pulled up really well,” Price told Racing Victoria on Tuesday.
“He had a few quiet days, one of the days he had a swim, and he bounced back well.
“He worked on the steeple grass last Saturday morning, and worked well.
“He worked with Holy Snow this morning on the Polytrack. He worked super. He came back in and had a little pigroot after he galloped, so he will definitely be accepted with and the plan is to run.”
Price added that Mighty Boss and the Nick Olive-trained runner-up Single Gaze were the hard luck stories out of the CF Orr Stakes and that on Saturday a nice barrier and clearer run will put his horse in a winning position in the Futurity.
“He was in good condition to run well in the 1400-metre Orr,” Price said.
“I suppose him and Single Gaze you could make a case for them possibly having won, along with a couple of others.
“I’m aware it’s a Group 1 weight-for-age race, but taking a line through his first effort, I thought it was excellent, and certainly if he had have won, I’d have been fronting him up again.
“He’s going to take his place, just need to draw a gate, have a bit of luck in running, no traffic and I’m sure he’ll be competitive again.”
The Futurity Stakes will bring Mighty Boss on fitness-wise again for his return to three-years-old racing back against his own age in the Group 1 $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) on the quick back-up at Flemington on March 3.
As for the main dangers in the likely Futurity Stakes field, Price said the Darren Weir-trained duo of Brave Smash and Tosen Stardom who ran third and 11th respectively in the CF Orr Stakes could improve.
“Obviously Brave Smash was a very good run – Tosen Stardom was a forgive run – so I’ll keep my eye on them,” he said.
“It’s a G1 WFA, if they’re going to front up, it’ll be a good race regardless.
“I’m really happy with my colt, and I think 1400m around here at Caulfield, he is capable of winning a race like that.”
Pre-field Futurity Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au lists the same two former Japanese-trained horses at the top of markets with Brave Smash the $3.50 favourite ahead of his dual Group 1 winning stablemate Tosen Stardom at $5.
Mighty Boss is also being kept safe as the $5.50 third elect in the early Futurity Stakes odds open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
