Stylish debut winner Public Attention will progress his campaign towards the Caulfield Guineas with a barrier trial at Cranbourne on Monday.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained three-year-old scored at the final meeting of the 2023-24 season at Caulfield with Price immediately setting his sights on the stallion making race over 1600m at Caulfield in October.
Public Attention is set to trial over 800m on Monday in preparation for his return in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 7.
Price took advantage of taking Public Attention to Moonee Valley last week for a gallop and said the colt had improved immensely since his debut run.
“I set him a little bit of a challenge by sitting in front at Moonee Valley, where he’s never been in the gallop,” Price said.
“I thought he was very professional and will be going into the Mitchell McKenzie, into the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and into the Caulfield Guineas, all being well.
“He’s a good horse that has progressed well. He’s a good-tempered colt, but he is a colt, and they do have personalities.
“He’ll trial on Monday and then head to McKenzie Stakes.”
Another promising three-year-old set to trial on Monday is the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Epimeles who could also be seen first-up in the McKenzie Stakes.
The trainers had originally been looking at the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday for the colt’s return, but a missed jump-out is likely to delay his return.
Busuttin said the minor set-back would not affect Epimeles spring program.
“He was supposed to trial last week, but we’ve held him back a week,” Busuttin said.
“He’s down to trial on Monday and then we’ll decide whether to run in the McNeil or the McKenzie.”
A total of 24 trials are set to be conducted on Monday as the spring is about to get into full swing.
Horses down to trial on Monday that are expected to spring carnival players include Warmonger, Circle Of Fire, Place Du Carrousel, Vibrant Sun, Right To Party, Veight, Benedetta and Hayasugi
