Lankan Rupee shines at Moonee Valley
World champion sprinter Lankan Rupee showed he is well and truly ready for his 2014 Spring debut with a powerful gallop over 800 metres at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.
The 5YO son of Redoute’s Choice and his stablemate Lion of Belfort were given first use of the track which had received 14mm of rain overnight.
Firmly held by raceday jockey Craig Newitt, and watched closely by trainer Mick Price, Lankan Rupee shaded Lion of Belfort throughout and ran out the 800 metres in 53.15 seconds, completing the last 400 metres in 25.1.
Lankan Rupee will open his Spring campaign with three races at Moonee Valley. First-up is Saturday’s $200,000 MVRC McEwen S. 1000m G2, followed by the $450,000 A.J. Moir S. G1 on 26 September and the $1 million Manikato S. G1 on 24 October, and finally the $1 million Darley Classic G1 at Flemington on 8 November.
Lankan Rupee, who is raced by his breeder Muzaffar Yaseen, won all but one of his 8 starts last season, including three Group 1 races, and $2.7 million.
His dam Estelle Collection (by Stravinsky) was purchasedby Coolmore Stud for $1.4 million from the Teeley Dispersal and is due to foal a full sibling to Lankan Rupee later this month.
