Raikoke to have his first run as a gelding for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr at The Valley

A minor operation could bring out the best in Group 3 winner Raikoke in a spring campaign that starts in the last race at The Valley on Saturday.

Mick Price kept it simple when assessing promising sprinter Raikoke’s chances of a first-up win in Saturday’s Dr Sheahan Plate (1200m) at The Valley.

Raikoke won his first two starts in strong fashion last time in, scoring on debut at Sandown before quickly progressing to Group 3 company to win the Zeditave Stakes in February.

• Early Oil tips for The Valley: $18 value bet in the last

However, the son of Written Tycoon missed a place in two $1 million races at his last two outings, after which Price and co-trainer Michael Kent Jr recommended a major change with the speedster.

“We gelded him after his last preparation,” Price said.

Raikoke’s jumpout form indicated the operation has had the desired effect with the four-year-old winning both hitouts at Cranbourne leading up to his return to racing.

A gallop at The Valley on Tuesday morning in company with smart debut winner Public Attention topped off Raikoke’s preparation for his return to racing on Saturday.

RAIKOKE is SW61 for Written Tycoon in the Gr3 Zeditave Stakes

Dam SP Sunset Affair, 4th dam Miss Carmie@MickPriceRacing@inglis_sales@RushtonPark@ma_josiah@[e-mail]/3ann4J0BjT

— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) February 25, 2024

“Raikoke will be hard to beat on Saturday,” Price said.

“He’s a four-year-old and is going to have a good prep.

“He’s a very nice horse coming up well and it looks a good race for him to start off on Saturday.”

• $41 shot to show plenty of Zest at The Valley

Price and Kent Jr have booked Jamie Kah to ride Raikoke in his first-up run.

TAB posted him as the $3.80 favourite in early betting on the Dr Sheahan Plate (1200m).

Many punters have been keen to back the Ciaron Maher-trained Extratwo to roll Raikoke in the finale to Saturday’s meeting.

Extratwo has firmed from $6.50 to $3.90 despite drawing awkwardly in barrier 12.

Raikoke will jump from barrier 10.

Originally published as Raikoke to have his first run as a gelding for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr at The Valley