Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr to run What You Need in Group 1 The Goodwood at Morphettville on Saturday

Mick Price would love to have the old What You Need lining up in the Group 1 The Goodwood and is wondering what might have been.

Mick Price could lament what might have been while smart sprinter What You Need competes in Saturday’s Group 1 The Goodwood in Adelaide.

What You Need has been a terrific money spinner for connections, earning more than $430,000 in only five starts but it could have been much more had bad luck not intervened.

What You Need was touted as a possible runner in The Everest last year after the then three-year-old strolled to victory over a smart field in the $500,000 Sunlight Classic at Flemington.

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However, the son of Supido spent a year off the scene as he recovered from a throat operation.

“He’s a tie-back horse and while they race well and we get something out of them, you don’t ever get the horse they were going to be,” Price, who trains What You Need in partnership with Michael Kent Jr, said.

What You Need has performed well in both runs this time in, running third at Flemington at Morphettville, but Price wondered whether the four-year-old could cope with the jump to Group 1 class in The Goodwood.

Price, who trains What You Need in partnership with Michael Kent Jr, said What You Need would have been hard to beat in Saturday’s $1m event had he still been the sprinter of old.

What You Need comfortably won his first three starts, including a victory in last year’s $500,000 Sunlight Classic, before he needed a throat operation. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

What You Need finished a long neck from Extremely Lucky in the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) at his last lead-up run to The Goodwood.

Price said that might be the type of run connections would continue to see for the rest of the sprinter’s career.

“What you saw the other day was him at his best,” Price said.

“He had every chance and he had every chance the start before.

“The old What You Need, it would be no problem, it would be beautiful and he would have won one (a major race) by now.”

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TAB rated What You Need as an $18 chance but Price said it was worth “having a throw at the stumps” with the stallion to add a Group 1 performance to his resume.

“Given that he’s an entire and there’s a bit at stake, we’ll run him,” Price said.

“He’s going into a Group 1 because that’s what he has to do.

“The horse is genuine and he’s raced well at his last two starts and I couldn’t have him going any better.”

Craig Williams will stick with What You Need after riding in the lightly-raced galloper in his previous two starts.

Originally published as Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr to run What You Need in Group 1 The Goodwood at Morphettville on Saturday