3 minute read
Unbeaten galloper Globe faces his toughest test to date when he tackles the Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley first-up.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable often err on the side of ambition rather than caution when they have a good horse in their stable.
Globe fits that bill after being unbeaten in his only four appearances to date and on Saturday he faces his toughest test when he heads to the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley first-up.
Victory on Saturday provides the winner a 'Golden Ticket' into the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28.
Globe has drawn 12 on Saturday, which at first glance may not be ideal, but Kent Jnr is not concerned.
While the stable would have preferred a middle draw, drawing out wide is preferred to drawing inside.
"I do personally think that wide barriers can be overstated for on-pace horses," Kent Jnr said.
"He makes his own luck, but all-the-same I would have loved to see him draw a middle gate, but it's definitely better than drawing inside for him.
"He's a big horse and he's a good beginner. He's going to put himself up on the pace and it looks to be a race with very high tempo.
"Savatoxl, drawn out wide only knows one way, as does Deny Knowledge from barrier five and Mick and I are looking forward to our horse potentially getting the run of the race for a change.
"We think to develop into a weight-for-age horse he needs to learn to be more tractable."
Part of that process has been getting Globe to sit off a pacemaker in track gallops and Kent Jnr said the gelding was becoming more tractable.
Kent Jnr said Globe was a high energy horse, like a lot of good horses.
He said the stable had worked on getting Globe to relax and the gelding will wear red earmuffs in the pre-race parade as well as a crossover noseband for the first time on Saturday.
"He's always worn the crossover his entire life in training, but he didn't wear last preparation when racing," Kent Jnr said.
"But we've added it to his race day gear this time and it's going to help him race more tractable."
Being a big horse, almost 17 hands and 580 kilos as he nears full race fitness, Kent Jnr said Globe was still light on his feet and had pleased race rider Jamie Kah with his ability to get around Moonee Valley.
But Kent Jnr is aware of what lies ahead on Saturday.
"We think he will measure up, but he is first-up in a high-pressure race, but he is going to be there for a long way," Kent Jnr said.
"It's whether under all those circumstances he can sustain his sprint over the last 100 metres.
"There's a lot of improvement to come. He's only had four runs in his life, and he's got a lot to clean up in his coat and he's still holding condition.
"But there's a lot on offer on Saturday. It's a $500,000 Group 2 race, but there's also the win and you're in for the Cox Plate."