Lankan Rupee stamped himself once again as a leading contender for the crown of world champion sprinter when he slammed top short course three-year-old Brazen Beau and the previously unbeaten Deep Field in the group 1 Black Caviar Lightning down the Flemington straight on Saturday.
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The Mick Price-trained gelding once again showed his liking both for the autumn and the Flemington track with a power-packed performance, scooting home to win the race named for the greatest sprinter of them all in a slick 56.29 seconds, 0.8 seconds slower than the race record set by the great mare.
Partnered by Craig Newitt, who was bringing up a double on his first day back in Australia since his move to Singapore in January, Lankan Rupee stalked the Hawkes-trained Deep Field and then hit the front in the last 200 metres to win going away.
The $2.60 shot scored by a comfortable two and three-quarter lengths — a significant margin in a race of this status over the minimum trip — from Brazen Beau, who had won the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes during the Melbourne Cup carnival against his own age group.
Deep Field went off as the $2.15 favourite as punters put their faith in the full brother to Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win to make it six on the spin.
But the lightly raced son of Northern Meteor had no answer when the older, stronger, tougher Lankan Rupee took control, eventually fading to third under stand-in rider James Winks, who was replacing the suspended Dwayne Dunn, Deep Field's regular partner.
Lankan Rupee was rated at 123 in the international classification last year and, said Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter, ran to at least that rating on his reappearance in the Lightning.
"This is a new year so he is now wearing the yellow jersey if you like in the race for the title of world's best sprinter."
Neil Jennings, the Victorian sprint handicapper, said Lankan Rupee would almost certainly be weighted at 58.5 for the Newmarket - above the minimum top weight of 58 kilos - when weights are allotted for the Newmarket Handicap on March 3.
That is the same weight that Hay List carried when he ran down Buffering to win the group 1 sprint in 2012, and half a kilo more than Black Caviar carried when she won it a year earlier - although her weight was the equivalent of 60.5 if the 2.5-kilogram mares allowance is taken into account. The year Hay List won the Newmarket he achieved an international classification of 125.
Mick Price, Lankan Rupee's trainer, looked by turns relieved and delighted with the effort of his stable star, who had gone down narrowly to Terravista and another of the Hawkes contenders, Chautauqua, in the group 1 Darley Classic last November over the Flemington 1200 metres.
"It was pretty dominant. It was a beautiful ride, Froggy wanted to tag Deep Field and it worked out really well for him. I am just glad to see the horse do something really well. Off to the Newmarket and the T.J. Smith and work it out from there. It was fantastic.
"I thought Brazen Beau might have been the blowout horse. I thought we had the race worked out OK, but sometimes it's not a two-horse race. The race was run properly and truly and the best horse on the day won," Price said.
"When you are tackling Terravista and Chautauqua, to be the bunny for those two horses is not very good. We will see how the Newmarket is run and take them on."
Price did not make excuses for Lankan Rupee's spring performances, when he was not quite the dominant sprinter many expected.
"He was right in the spring, I never made excuses for him. We had quarter cracks which were properly handled and he was sound and gave his best. I don't know if he is a better autumn horse.
"Craig was very confident, it worked out fantastic. That's how I want to ride him, I want the best 400 the last bit. He's only Lankan Rupee, he's not Black Caviar. He loves Flemington, he's just not a Moonee Valley horse.
"The pressure is on you in these sort of races, and that's what sport is about. You need to win at the top level. Rob Heathcote said to me at the Magic Millions, you will be right mate, there's no Buffering..."
James Winks said Deep Field ran well but he was not yet in the same league as Lankan Rupee.
"We just quickened nice, next thing Lankan Rupee went straight past me. There was no second change up of speed which makes group 1 horses. I am not saying he is not one, but today Lankan Rupee just went past and he paddled late. But it's my first time on him and he acquitted himself really well."
