Planet Red and Sabaj Kick Off Spring Preparations for 2026

Planet Red and Sabaj, both geldings trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, are commencing their spring preparations with differing ultimate goals, but they may encounter each other along the way.

The pair completed their first jumpouts of the current campaign at Cranbourne on Monday morning.

Sabaj finished third, just under two lengths behind Proved, without being asked for a serious effort in its initial hitout. Planet Red secured second place in a later heat, beaten approximately 2-1/2 lengths by Spirit Of Wealth.

This was the most demanding piece of work for each horse this campaign. Both are expected to resume racing in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 29, followed by the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m), before targeting major spring races in Sydney.

“I think they’re running in the hot Memsie,” Price said.

“With their rating, the calendar pushes you in that way. I think they’ll both kick off there because of their rating and the timing of it.

“They’re both nice horses and they’re both sort of Toorak Handicap horses.”

Provided everything progresses smoothly until the Toorak Handicap, which will be held at Caulfield on October 10, Planet Red is then expected to head towards the Golden Eagle (1500m). This year marks the first time the race will be run at Group 1 level.

Price and Kent achieved success in the 2021 Golden Eagle with I’m Thunderstruck, a horse who also won the Toorak Handicap. Price noted that the $10 million event is a compelling target for the gelding, who had previously finished runner-up in both the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas earlier this season.

“His run in the Caulfield Guineas was very good, drawn a bad gate, and his run in the Australian Guineas was very good, drawn a bad gate, so we were forced to ride cold in both those races,” he commented on the son of Admire Mars.

“The Golden Eagle is a fast 1500. You need a horse with a pretty good turn of foot and, for $10m and four-year-olds, I think he’ll be in it.”

Sabaj’s Sydney campaign will focus on the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m), a race exclusively for five-year-olds, scheduled for November 7.

The son of Manhattan Rain has won five of his 12 starts. While he has not won in his three starts this year, he did finish fourth in both the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) and Australian Cup (2000m).

“He’s a nice horse and I think anywhere between a mile and 2000 (is suitable),” Price said.

“I reckon the Five Diamonds for him, because he will be a five-year-old.

“It’s 1800, that’d be beautiful. That’ll be a nice race for him.”

Check the latest racing odds with betting sites.