Racing: Price confident Lankan Rupee is ready

Price has had Lankan Rupee ridden off the speed this campaign. Photo / Thinkstock

Lankan Rupee is ready to reel off closing sectional times that trainer Mick Price says should be fast enough to carry the sprinter to a second-straight Newmarket Hcp win at Flemington on Saturday.

Price has had Lankan Rupee ridden off the speed this campaign, resulting in an outstanding first-up win in the Lightning Stakes.

"He has to be ridden properly against the big guns to beat them and we've spent a fair bit of time getting him to relax," Price said.

"If he relaxes like the other two relax and if you have the three of them all relaxed, it will be which horse can run the best sectional from the 600m."

Price's decision to switch Lankan Rupee's racing pattern was made after the horse was left as a sitting shot in the Darley Classic during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The Newmarket at Flemington on Saturday has brought together the three highest-rated sprinters in the world during 2014 for their first meeting since that epic clash.

In that contest it was Terravista defeating Chautauqua with Lankan Rupee tiring into third.

Price said not having to worry about Buffering and getting away from Moonee Valley were other ingredients in Lankan Rupee's return to winning form in the Lightning Stakes.

It was only after his two early defeats at Moonee Valley last campaign that convinced Price Lankan Rupee was not a Moonee Valley horse, despite him winning the Manikato Stakes.

Chautauqua holds favouritism for Saturday at $2.90 ahead of Lankan Rupee at $3.20, with Terravista and Brazen Beau sharing the third line at $5.50.