Space Rider on 2025 Caulfield Guineas path

The powerful Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr team unveiled another potential spring star at Moonee Valley, with Space Rider kicking off his three-year-old campaign in impressive fashion.

Targeted at the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Space Rider began his preparation in the Mick Gleeson Plate (1200m), where Beau Mertens steered the $8.50 chance to victory by three-quarters of a length over Wise Inlaw ($20), with Estremo ($5.50) a length further away.

He had won on debut at Eagle Farm last December but failed to fire at his next start, a run Price said could be forgiven. “He wasn’t right at start number two. We were messing around with blood pictures that week and being an immature horse, he didn’t turn up that day. So, you just forget that run and judge him on today and what he did first-up.”

The colt will now head to the Exford Plate and the Stutt Stakes as stepping stones towards the Guineas. “He’s a lovely big, lengthy horse. He’s got mile written all over him and he’s a lovely horse,” Price said.

Although much of his early work was done at the Sydney base, Price decided to switch him back to Victoria when heavy tracks plagued Rosehill. “We did have him in at Rosehill last week, but I said to the connections the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the grass is green,” Price said. “He did a good job to win over 1200 metres around here and I think he will be better at 1400 metres and a mile. The Sydney stable has been the making of this horse.”