Ayrton (Image: Racing Photos)
Rising Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr star Ayrton is set to travel to Queensland by road after being caught up in a flight drama on Tuesday night.
The three-year-old was one of seven horses due to travel to the Sunshine State overnight, but a snap decision by Queensland Health to force those on board the plane to quarantine for 14 days on arrival meant the plane never department Melbourne.
Also on the flight was Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Derby contenders Explosive Jack and Let’s Karaka Deel, Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Lyre and Luke Oliver’s Real Sensation.
Eustace told Racing.com they needed to know if they could fly next week by Thursday, otherwise they would take their Group 1 stars to Queensland by road as well.
Price told Racing.com the stable had already made the decision to take Ayrton to Queensland by road, breaking up the long journey by stopping in New South Wales.
Ayrton, a $3.50 favourite with Sportsbet for the Group 1 Stradbroke, will try to win his way into the race via the Fred Best next week.
The rising star was still at home in his box when the decision was made with the stable confident the change in plans was not a significant setback.
“The plan will be to leave here (Wednesday night), go to Gabrielle Englebrecht’s at Warwick Farm, have a play around, a swim and a roll and a pick and a trot up on Thursday morning. Then he will leave Thursday night to go to Eagle Farm,” Price said.
“He will be at Eagle Farm on Friday morning. So it’s no big deal. I always break the trip up when I got to Queensland and never had an issue with it.
“So I think it will be fine.”
Eustace said the stable were still finalizing their transport plans with the Queensland Derby not until May 29.
“They might have to travel up by truck. We will see,” he said.
“If they have to go by road then it’s not the end of the world. They have both been to Adelaide, and Jack has travelled everywhere.
“We would still like to fly, but they’ve still got to gallop on Saturday. We will just work it out over the next day or so.
“(We need to know by) tomorrow, probably. They need to go by road before the weekend and then gallop up in Sydney if they do go by road.
“If we can get on a flight early next week then they will stay here.”