Australian Cup winner Pompeii Ruler has next month's group one George Ryder Stakes in his sights after an impressive trial win at Cranbourne yesterday.
The injury prone 6-year-old showed he had recovered from an inflamed pastern that prematurely ended his Cox Plate plans last spring, recording 1:10.89 for 1190 metres.
Three-year-old Mightyblitz, who was recently placed at Sandown, made it a good test for Pompeii Ruler and finished a length behind him.
Trainer Mick Price was delighted with the trial and said he was happy for Pompeii Ruler to resume in the Ryder (1500m) at Rosehill on April 4.
"He went like a good stayer should go," Price said. "He has never been a 1200-metre horse but he went great. He is very sound and clean in his action."
Price said that after the Ryder, Pompeii Ruler would target the group one Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Anzac Day then head to Queensland for the Hollindale Cup and the Doomben Cup.
Pompeii Ruler has won seven of his 19 starts, with his best success the Australian Cup. He also finished third in a photo-finish to Fields Of Omagh and El Segundo in the 2006 Cox Plate.
A ligament injury in the 2007 spring sidelined him for 12 months but he came back last campaign to finish finish second to Weekend Hussler in the Underwood Stakes and second to Douro Valley in the Yalumba Stakes.
Pompeii Ruler's trial performance was only surpassed by stablemate Bel Mer in winning her 800-metre trial by four lengths in a scorching 44.29s.
Her time was more than a second faster than 13 other trials over the distance but Price wasn't surprised.
"She always trials brilliantly at home [Caulfield]," Price said.
Price said Bel Mer, who has won three of her 15 starts, would get her chance to win a group one race when she resumes in the Robert Sangster Stakes in Adelaide on March 21.
Canberra-trained mare Bacchanal Woman is headed to New Zealand for feature autumn events following her easy win in the National Sprint on her home track on Sunday.
The 5-year-old is being set for the group two Japan-New Zealand International Trophy at Tauranga on March 21, followed a fortnight later by the group one New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes at Te Aroha.
