Angland aims for three straight

Although he is a two-time winner from his first two starts, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Angland is still learning what being a racehorse is all about.

Angland has registered wins at Pakenham over 1200m on April 4 and again two weeks later over the same distance and heads to town on Saturday for the first time when he contests the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield.

Hopes had been high for Angland well before he made his debut, and the gelding was sent out a $1.50 favourite at his first start and even shorter at $1.35 in his second victory.

Angland streeted his opposition, winning by 7-½ lengths on debut before defeating Truffle Finder, a little unlucky at Warrnambool on Tuesday, by a long neck at his second start.

While both victories to date have been at 1200m, Price is not expecting the 1400m journey to be of any concern for Angland on Saturday.

But what the trainers would like to see from the gelding is for him to run away from his rivals as he can be a little lazy when chasing down a workmate in his trackwork of a morning.

“We’re happy with him, but he’s a bit of a big, sleepy bear,” Price said.

“It’s difficult in trackwork to get him to go away from another horse, even though in his maiden win he was out there by himself looking good.

“I think the form out of the benchmark race that he won is pretty good. The third horse (Rackemann) has a bit of form and Clinton’s horse (Truffle Dancer) was a bit unlucky at Warrnambool on Tuesday.

“I think the 1400 metres will suit him ideally at Caulfield, and he’s nice and bright and fresh and he should run well.”