‘Serious engine’: Stud future on line for Price-Kent galloper, What You Need, in Moreton Cup

What You Need could have been anything if his career hadn’t been plagued by drama, but the highly talented sprinter could now be racing for his future at stud at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Many of What You Need’s Moreton Cup rivals will be racing for a last minute Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap ticket, but the trouble-plagued but highly talented galloper could be racing for his future at stud.

What You Need has won three of his six career starts and earlier in his career looked destined for big things before injury and other issues came into play.

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At one stage he was touted as a potential runner in The Everest after the then three-year-old stormed to victory in the $500,000 Sunlight Classic at Flemington last year.

However, he then spent more than a year off the scene as he recovered from a throat operation.

Last start, the four-year-old stallion prospect finished seventh in the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide, the race won by Benedetta who is now an $8 chance in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap next week.

What You Need, who only finished 2.7 lengths off Benedetta, will be ridden by Craig Williams in the Moreton Cup and is a $14 chance on TAB.

BENEDETTA the second Gr1 winner (both female) for Hellbent from his first crop in the Goodwood.@WarrenRacing@jamieleekah07@EalesRacingSyn@millparkstud@[e-mail]/wRBLN2Jytw

— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) May 11, 2024

The Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) is the last chance golden ticket race to get into the Stradbroke seven days later.

Kent Jr said there could be some consideration to backing What You Need up if he won the Moreton, although the 1400m of the Stradbroke could be a bridge too far.

It is more likely he is racing for his future at stud, and Kent Jr thinks a Group 2 win might be enough to seal it.

“A few studs have been sniffing around, it could be job done if he wins a Group 2,” Kent Jr said.

“If he was to win, well, it might be enough to get him a nice home at stud somewhere.

“We have been vocal in the past about the issues he has had. Every run at this stage of the season could be his last.

“He still tries his guts out, I hate to think how good he could have been if he was straightforward.”

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Trainer Michael Kent Jr. Picture: Getty Images.

“He’s a very exciting horse but he’s not the old What You Need, the old What You Need would be really competitive in the Group 1 sprints.”

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Kent Jr said the What You Need had a “serious engine” and that might be enough to see him win at his first start in Queensland.

What You Need has drawn barrier 12 but Kent Jr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, doesn’t necessarily see that as a disadvantage.

“Barrier 12 might be a good barrier on Saturday, given what we saw last Saturday,” Kent Jr said.

“With Warmonger, we were lamenting the wide draw but it turned out to be a good one when he won the (Queensland) Derby.

“What You Need is not straightforward, but there is a serious engine there.”

Saturday will be a pipe-opener for the Price and Kent Jr team ahead of the Stradbroke the following Saturday where they have equal $6 favourite Amenable.

Racenet revealed on Wednesday that Amenable would be ridden by Cox Plate-winning jockey Chad Schofield in the Stradbroke.

Originally published as ‘Serious engine’: Stud future on line for Price-Kent galloper, What You Need, in Moreton Cup