Trainer Mick Price says Lankan Rupee's wellbeing will come before a bid for a guaranteed start in the Group I Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield next month.
A five-time Group I winner, Lankan Rupee is a chance to be balloted out of the Memsie Stakes because a clause in the rules that states horses that have not won $90,000 or more in a single performance in the past two years would miss a start if the race attracted 16 qualified runners.
The Memsie Stakes is attractive to many of Australia's top horses with $1 million on offer in a race that will not feature champion mare Winx, leaving Racing Victoria expecting a full field in the September 2 race.
Lankan Rupee has had four starts in the qualifying period with his best result being a $45,000 cheque for his fourth in last year's Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington.
The former horse of the year would book a place in the Memsie Stakes field if he won Saturday's PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield but Price said he would probably stick to his original plan of taking Lankan Rupee to Adelaide for the Group III Spring Stakes (1200m).
Lankan Rupee ran a solid second when resuming in the Group III Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on August 6 but Price said the 1400m of the Lawrence Stakes was unlikely to suit Lankan Rupee second-up.
"I nommed him for the Lawrence to give myself an option and have a think about it but the Spring Stakes, the trip away and the 1200m, I think it's better for the horse," Price said.
"The horse comes first and a trip interstate, 1200m away from him will stimulate him up a bit because he hasn't been out of the stable for a long time.
"I reckon I'll take him to Adelaide and I reckon he'll be hard to beat.
"If he flukes a run in the Memsie with less than 16 runners, fair enough but if there's 16 above him that have that $90,000 clause, well he doesn't get a run."
A win in the Spring Stakes would add $76,800 to Lankan Rupee's $4.1 million in prizemoney
