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By Ray Hickson

There are so many options in the spring for a young horse like Monte Veebee but co-trainer Luke Price would first like to dispense with the colt’s maiden status at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Trainer Luke Price

The three-year-old’s narrow defeat in the Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury back in May stamped him as a promising type and Price said it was tempting to push on in that first campaign but is content with the decision to give him time.

After a luckless first-up run two weeks ago Monte Veebee, $3.60 with TAB on Tuesday, steps up in distance to the TAB Handicap (1400m) and according to Price that’s right in the zone.

“He’s looking for the 1400m and his best form is over 1400m, I was going to go to 1250m at Canterbury last week but I didn’t think he was sharp enough,’’ he said.

“Now I think he’s definitely looking for the 1400m, the two weeks between runs I like and he’s ready to go.

“I think he’s better than a Warwick Farm maiden horse but they are sometimes the hardest races to win.”

Monte Veebee was beaten two lengths by Enriched over 1100m when he resumed last month and Price was left to wonder what might have been.

He raced to the outside of the winner coming to the turn but jockey Adam Hyeronimus wasn’t able to wind him up until the race was over.

“There was no real room there at all, they raced real tight,’’ Price said.

“We followed the favourite and it didn’t take us anywhere. I feel as Adam did if we get the room we were really going to attack the line.”

Price, who co-trains with his father Robert, said with the step up in distance and middle draw he’d expect Monte Veebee to be in a striking position and hopes he has a clear shot and the chance to show what he can do.

“He’s got great early speed so I’ll leave it open and talk to Adam,’’ he said.

“I’d like to see him situated in the first few. We won’t take that gate speed away from him, as good a chaser as he is, and if we can be in the first four a lot of these are resuming while he’s a fit horse so we’ll take advantage of that.”

If Monte Veebee does break through for his first win, Price said he’d have no hesitation in placing the colt aggressively.

He said a Caulfield Guineas could come onto the radar or he could target local races like the $500,000 Tapp-Craig (1400m) and Group 2 $1m Callander-Presnell (1600m).

Monte Veebee's first-up run at Warwick Farm on August 21

“There’s so much going on in the spring,’’ he said.

“He’s a laid-back horse and does whatever he needs to. The better the opposition the better he’s going to go were Adam’s comments after the first-up run.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting