Adelaide gets the tick for Lankan Rupee

Lankan Rupee will run in a 1200m-race in Adelaide rather than take a step up in distance at Caulfield in which victory would gain him a start in the Memsie Stakes.

The eight-year-old will contest Saturday’s Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville instead of the P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Trainer Mick Price contemplated making an all-out attempt at the Lawrence Stakes in a bid to gain a start in the $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2.

With injury restricting Lankan Rupee to four starts in the past two years, the gelding has not collected enough prize money and would be one of the first balloted.

First prize at Morphettville on Saturday is $76,800 which may be short of what the former world’s highest-rated sprinter needs to gain a start in the Memsie.

Price doesn’t feel it is in the best interests of Lankan Rupee to step him up to 1400m so quickly following his first-up second to Ability in the Bletchingly Stakes at Sandown on August 6.

“We’ve come this far so if he doesn’t get a run in the Memsie, that’s just bad luck,” Price said.

“I reckon the trip away will do him the world of good and he can still get a run in the Memsie if there happens to be less than 16.

“I’m very happy with him and I think he’s back.”

Price will run Duke Of Brunswick in the Lawrence rather than the Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).

Duke Of Brunswick chased Ability and Lankan Rupee home in the Bletchingly at Sandown at his most recent run.

“He’s probably not good enough to win either race,” Price said.

“But if he can run a place, it might as well be in a $200,000 race.

“He’s fit and fresh and hopefully he can draw a gate and give a bit of cheek.

“The 1400 metres is probably a better trip for him anyway.”