Cranbourne’s Mick Kent is eyeing the Group 1 autumn sprint races with his smart entire Supido who is likely to resume at Flemington in February’s Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
Mick Kent’s sprinter Supido is targeting the 2018 Black Caviar Lightning first-up at Flemington in February. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
A six-year-old son of Sebring, Supido remains lightly-raced for his age having had just the 14 career starts to date for a consistent strike rate of seven wins.
His latest victory was at Caulfield in mid-July when taking out the Group 3 $150,000 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) as the odds-on favourite.
The short-distance specialist was last seen running first-up at The Valley on September 9 when three lengths beaten for fifth behind Russian Revolution in the Group 2 $200,000 McEwen Stakes (1000m).
Price is eyeing some tough Melbourne Festival of Racing targets for Supido whose last foray in elite level company produced the distant second last (13th) to Russian Revolution at Rosehill in the Group 1 $700,000 The Galaxy (1000m) back in March.
A Heavy (10) track at The Gardens hampered Supido’s chances that day after his lead-up third behind English (1st) and subsequent The Everest – Darley Classic champion Redzel (2nd) in Randwick’s Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m).
Last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Supido kicked-up at Flemington Racecourse in the Black Caviar Lightning running dead last but under four lengths beaten by the winner Terravista.
The same resuming run is on the agenda this coming autumn with the Black Caviar Lightning to run on February 17, 2018.
Supido is back in work with Kent after spelling well along with his talented staying mare Abbey Marie.
Redoute’s Choice five-year-old Abbey Marie was last seen running sixth to Lindsay Park’s upset winner Boom Time in the Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21.
Kent opted not to back the 2016 Schweppes Oaks winner up in the ‘race that stops a nation’ bypassing the Group 1 $6.25 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 7.
Not having won a race since her Group 1 success over 2000m in Adelaide as a three-year-old filly, Abbey Marie is after another elite level win when she returns this autumn heading towards the Group 1 $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 10.
“They are both back in work,” Kent told Racing Victoria on Sunday.
“It’ll be the Lightning for him [Supido] and the C.F. Orr Stakes into the Peter Young into the Australian Cup for her [Abbey Marie].
“I know I could’ve run her in the Melbourne Cup but I don’t think she’s a two-miler.”
The Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) runs at Caulfield Racecourse on February 10 and was won last autumn by the Darren Weir-trained Black Heart Bart.
The Group 2 $200,000 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) runs a fortnight late on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day, February 24, and has produced four of the past six Australian Cup winners including the also Weir-trained Humidor (2nd in 2017).