The much-anticipated debut of Guest House will get a second chance this weekend when the two-year-old lines up at Cranbourne.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt was set to contest last Saturday’s Magic Millions VIC 2YO Classic (1100m) at Caulfield Heath but was scratched after drawing awkwardly.
Connections were mindful of the wide gate and also wary of taking on eventual winner Unit Five, who enjoyed the perfect run from barrier one.
Guest House instead heads to Saturday’s Clamms Seafood Handicap (1000m) at Cranbourne, where fortune has smiled with barrier four and Jamie Melham engaged to ride.
Michael Kent Jnr said the decision to wait was an easy one.
“The barrier was very awkward last week, especially for a two-year-old debutant,” Kent Jnr said.
“The favourite had drawn beautifully in barrier one and if we had pushed on, we could have been four and five wide scouting around them, and then if you go back, can he pick them up?
“There’s a suitable option for him on Saturday and the other thing we spoke about was the race last week contributes zero to getting a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) or the Golden Slipper (1200m).”
Although the Caulfield Heath race carried a ‘win and you’re in’ exemption for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), it did not count towards ballots for Australia’s premier juvenile Group 1 races.
Despite being eligible to travel north, the stable opted against a Queensland campaign.
“I don’t think you can do both, the Magic Millions and the Blue Diamond,” Kent Jnr said.
“It’s a long way to go. We don’t like flying our horses to Queensland as it’s proven to be too unreliable in the past.
“You can get stuck on the tarmac, and to go by road, it’s a long way for an immature horse.
“On balance, with everything considered and the barrier being the main issue, we thought it made sense to wait a week and go across the road to Cranbourne.
“Yes, a tight 1000 metres there is not ideal, but hopefully he can get the job done and if he did, the winner’s first prize goes towards getting a start in the Blue Diamond and the Slipper.
“He’s a lovely horse that looks to have Group class potential, so we’ll see.”
Early odds for Guest House’s debut are available through the Australian betting sites list.