Group 1 targets during Sydney autumn carnival on the line for gelded Amenable at Flemington

The best of Amenable is in front of the Group 2-placed galloper, who is set to resume as a gelding in the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.

Amenable has thrived since being gelded and renewed his trainers’ Group 1 aspirations.

The snip has not helped trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr better manage Amenable’s weight and fitness, but has coincided with the four-year-old leaving the barriers better.

Group 2-placed Amenable, set to resume in the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (1400m) at Flemington, would jump a stride slow from the stalls as a young bull.

Amenable flew the gates and won two Cranbourne jumpouts last month in preparation for the Shaftesbury Avenue on Saturday.

“He’s returned definitely a lot more switched on as a gelding,” Kent Jr said.

“He’s always been a talented horse, but just seems to be leaving the barriers a lot sharper, as a gelding.

“Damian Lane made the comment after his last trial he seems to have come to hand a bit quicker now he’s not an entire and carrying the bulk a normal colt would.”

Amenable, who has only won twice from 11 starts, is a $2 favourite with TAB from $4.20 plunge horse Berkshire Shadow.

Berkshire Shadow was $15 in all-in markets and opened $4.40 last Wednesday.

Amenable wins at Caulfield last August.

The price has hovered around $3.60 and $4.20 the past 48 hours.

The Group 1 Doncaster Mile next month in Sydney is a target for Amenable should he resume with a win on Saturday.

“We’re very pleased with the horse, he’s always shown he could potentially win a nice big handicap one day,” Kent Jr said.

“I think, and I hope, the best is in front of him, I’d love to think he could be very competitive in Group 1 handicaps, I think if he runs really well (Saturday) we’d be looking to go to Sydney with him.

“He has an entry for the Doncaster but he’d have to really please us first-up and second-up, and get into the race.”

The Shaftesbury Avenue looks a “tricky” race tactically with small field on Saturday – reduced to eight starters after the withdrawals of Jimmysstar and Superium.

“I’m not sure how fast they’ll run along, his two jumpouts have surprised us a bit how well he’s left the gates, so he doesn’t have to get too far back,” Kent Jr said.

Good success on Saturday would help Kent Jr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, pay for his wedding on Sunday.

“I’m very thankful to Mick Price that I can clock off, from Friday to Tuesday; I’ll be off but I’ll be watching,” Kent Jr said.

The stable has six starters on Saturday, including Hedged and Gumdrops in Race 1 and Pivot City, Vibrant Sun and Primal Spirit in Race 3.

“A definite each-way chance (Vibrant Sun) but I suppose the draw forces our hand to ride her a little negatively, with bigger things (SA Oaks) in mind,” Kent Jr said.

“We didn’t think he (Pivot City) fully applied himself last time and was a bit timid in among runners, we put on blinkers, unfortunately he’s drawn wide. He’s got the talent to win.

“Primal Spirit is a very nice chance from that draw, he’s I’m Thunderstruck’s (half) brother, won, came from the clouds on debut … he was only touched off second up, now he’s third-up, back to three-year-old company, drawn a gate, gets a smother, he’s an each-way chance.”

Originally published as Group 1 targets during Sydney autumn carnival on the line for gelded Amenable at Flemington