Price gallopers set to trial at Cranbourne

Champagne Stakes winner Seabrook (r) is among Mick Price-trained horses set to trial at Cranbourne.

Mick Price is set to unveil a number of his autumn stars in various trials at Cranbourne.

While a number of last year’s spring stars have already begun their autumn campaigns, Price has held a couple back.

Seabrook is set to trial over 800m on Monday with Price looking to start the filly’s campaign in Sydney.

He has earmarked the Group One Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on March 2 for her return.

“She’s come up beautifully this campaign and the way she’s going I think she’s improved,” Price said.

Seabrook won the Group One Champagne Stakes at Randwick last autumn and during the spring ran third to Amphitrite in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.

Price said Grunt was coming along well towards his target of the $5 million All Star Mile on March 16.

Last year’s Australian Guineas winner is entered in two trials on Monday, one over 990m and the other over 1190m.

“He’s progressing nicely,” Price said.

“He goes to the Shaftesbury Avenue (1400m) first-up and then onto the All Star Mile.”

Lightly raced Oceanex is on a path to the Australian Oaks at Randwick in mid-April and is set to trial over 1190m on Monday.

A three-time winner from five starts, Oceanex hasn’t been sighted since claiming a three-year-old benchmark 70 race over 2000m at Flemington last month.

“Oceanex maybe runs in the Randwick Guineas first-up off a shortish break,” Price said.

“I might even trial her in Sydney beforehand but I think she’ll be peaking for the Vinery.”

Hiyaam is set to trial over 1550m and then back up into the Group Two Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

A four-year-old, Hiyaam won the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill last autumn but didn’t fire in three runs during the spring.

Price is expecting more this time around.

“She’s pretty fit so she’ll run on Saturday and then two weeks later into the Australian Cup,” he said.