The bidding war to have Lankan Rupee the world's highest-rated sprinter, in Sydney next autumn has begun even before the five-year-old has taken a step into his Spring Carnival.
Trainer Mick Price, who will take Lankan Rupee to Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning for a final gallop before returning four days later to compete in the $200,000 McEwen Stakes the following Saturday, confirmed that interest in the horse had come from north of the border.
Price said that Sydney racing identity and chairman of Racing NSW John Messara had been in contact with him over the likelihood of Lankan Rupee being in Sydney for next autumn's $2.5 million T. J. Smith Stakes.
"John was on the phone and discussing the timing issues between Lankan Rupee's last run in Hong Kong at the end of the spring and his availability at being in Sydney the following April," Price said.
"We just talked about elements of this preparation that include going to Hong Kong and managing to cope with it and coming back in good order to take on the autumn.
"I think he'll have to spend two weeks in quarantine here or over there but that's to be worked out and I'm not sure exactly what he'll be required to do. But I will tell you winning a $2.5 million race is like winning 20 races in one day," he said.
Price said he told Messara that for the horse to travel to Hong Kong and race then to be in Sydney for Randwick in April was "doable" but stressed that he wanted to see how the Melbourne spring unfolded for Lankan Rupee.
"I want to get these five runs down, and if he's in good shape, if things are in place, his fifth start will be in Hong Kong. There's a lot to going overseas, he's never travelled before but, at the same time, he won't have been over races by the time he gets there.
"He'll run this Saturday and then have two more runs at Moonee Valley and then we go to Flemington for the race there ($1 million Darley Classic 1200 metre group 1).
"He looks good but I must admit he trialled last week and the fog was so heavy I couldn't even see him, but (Craig) Newitt was more than happy with what he'd done.
"He's a horse who won't be going to stud, he's a gelding and hopefully we can get a few more years of weight-for-age races under his belt by looking after him, and he has a great advantage in that he's totally sound and we haven't had a minute's problem with injury," Price said.
Price said that it looked as though next year's Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap would be out of the reach of the horse rated at 123 and best sprinter in the world as it would appear the handicapper would have the final say on whether Lankan Rupee starts.
"He'll probably be getting weights like Black Caviar but she was allowed to get two kilograms less for being a mare, but all that I can say about races like the Newmarket is that he's going to be a long way off the minimum." he said.
