Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will be aiming for more Queensland Group One success when Amenable lines up in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The training duo will be hard to top for performance of the carnival as Warmonger won the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) by over 10 lengths and are hoping Amenable can win not just his first Group One race, but his first black type race.
While the son of the late Lonhro has proven himself up to the class, placing in four Group races, including when second to Magic Time two starts ago in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), Amenable has only won a maiden and a benchmark 84.
He was close to adding to that record last start when narrowly beaten with 60kg in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone and Kent Jnr believes the horse is ready to fire.
“He was most unlucky in the Scone race, the Luskin Star. He likes being trained fresh, the four-week gap between runs should suit. He had a week on the grass, and we know he’s in the race,” Kent Jnr said.
Amenable has had four runs this campaign beginning in March at Flemington but has had his runs well spaced which Kent Jnr believes will help the horse going into Saturday’s feature.
“That will be his fifth run of the campaign and we didn’t want to jam another one into the campaign and risk him being over the top. He’ll go into the Stradbroke on fresh legs.”
“We’ve trained him for that race, Eagle Farm, over 1400 metres – he’s due some luck.”
Amenable has been allotted 52.5kg for the Stradbroke but weights may be raised for all horses by up to 1.5kg when the final field comes out on Tuesday morning.
Chad Schofield has been booked to ride Amenable, who is currently an $8 second favourite with online bookmakers behind Antino at $7.