Spring Champion tilt for Man Of Choice

The $500,000 ATC Spring Champion S. G1 on 10 October is the destination of Manhattan Rain’s promising 3YO son Man Of Choice after demolishing his rivals over 1600 metres at Kembla Grange last Saturday.

Man Of Choice settled fifth of seven runners, swung wide on the turn and took charge 200 metres from the post to score by almost 4 lengths in a time of 1:36.32, running his last 600 metres in 33.41. It was the gelding’s second win from 5 starts.

Trainer Luke Price now plans to start Man Of Choice in the 1800-metre ATC Gloaming S. G3 at Rosehill on 26 September, then the Spring Champion at Randwick two weeks later.

Price said, “He had to come here today and do what he did, but he did it more impressively even than I thought he was going to.

“He raced a bit fresh still but that was the three weeks between runs. He will go to the Spring Champion after the Gloaming if all is going well.

“He is a horse that only does what he has to, so to see him come here today and and put a gap on them really impressed me. I am pretty stoked.”

Bred by Bob Guth and Nick Curtis, Man Of Choice is out of the Melbourne winner Moonsong, a daughter of Redoute’s Choice from the family of Group 1 winners Ofcourseican & Gimmethegreenlight and Group-winning fillies Gregers & Girl Guide.

Man Of Choice was offered under the Newhaven Park banner at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and bought for $60,000 by part-owner Andrew Rose.

Manhattan Rain was Australia’s joint leading Second Season Sire by stakeswinners and fourth on the earnings list with almost $2 million.