Mick Price has been waiting all spring to get Australian Horse of the Year Lankan Rupee to Flemington.

The Mick Price-trained Lankan Rupee returns to Flemington for Saturday’s Darley Classic where Group One newcomer Chautauqua is the horse to beat.

Lankan Rupee won the Manikato Stakes last start after an aggressive ride from Craig Newitt, ending a run of two spring losses at the tight-turning Moonee Valley course.

Price says four-time Group One winner Lankan Rupee is raring to go and hopes he repeats his Newmarket Handicap-winning performance on his return to the bigger track.

But he believes Chautauqua is benchmark horse in a race which is littered with class sprinters including Irish star Slade Power.

“The one I’m more concerned about is Chautauqua because of his familiarity with the straight, the times he’s ran and the sectionals he’s ran,” Price said.

He noted horses can come unstuck when they do step up to weight-for-age and the top level, but he has been impressed with what he’s seen from Chautauqua.

“If one horse is not going to come unstuck under those conditions it will be Chautauqua,” Price said.

Lankan Rupee will be ridden by Chad Schofield after Newitt was suspended last weekend.