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By Ray Hickson

It’s back to basics for talented filly Island Dec at Canterbury on Wednesday with co-trainer Luke Price keen to get her campaign back on track after a couple of misses in stakes company.

Trainer Luke Price

The three-year-old scored a first-up win at Canterbury back in February and was then thrown in the deep end in the Group 1 Surround Stakes before a freshen and her last start eighth in the Group 3 PJ Bell.

Price said the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1100m) is an opportunity for Island Dec to return to the successful formula of settling back, and coming with one run, that has seen her win three of her seven starts.

“She’s been jumping on the bridle and just charging,’’ Price said.

“She did it so well first-up over 1250m, she switched off and attacked the line and won with a bit in hand in lesser grade.

“I’m going to keep things as simple as possible for her. I think we’ll get genuine speed coming back to 1100m and I think it will work.”

In the PJ Bell, Tommy Berry was able to settle Island Dec a little closer in the run but she didn’t react as well to that as expected and was beaten 3-1/2 lengths by She's Got Pizzaz.

“You’ve got to get everything right, those one per cent things you can’t do wrong in those races,’’ he said.

“I’ve had all the gear on her and the slower speed in those races and getting cluttered up doesn’t suit her and it takes that back end away.

“Tommy tried to hold a spot the other day, that was the plan to be that two lengths closer in that grade, and she couldn’t cope with it.

“You’ve got to be in the back half of the field and use her turn of foot to get over the top of them.”

James McDonald was initially booked to ride Island Dec, $5 with TAB on Tuesday, but when he was suspended in Hong Kong on the weekend Tyler Schiller was snapped up for the ride.

Price, who co-trains with his father Robert, said there’s no doubt Island Dec has stakes class ability and her three unplaced runs at that level doesn’t do her talent justice.

But he said it’s unlikely they’ll chase black type again in the short term.

“She keeps coming home and pleasing us, she probably just tries too hard on the track,’’ he said.

“She’s very competitive and just wants to get into it. I feel she’s still a work in progress and keeping her to the shorter trips for the moment might be the best thing we can do.

“There’s good races on Saturdays in city grade, it’s good prizemoney and with the BOBS bonuses Saturday racing is pretty good.

Island Dec wins at Canterbury in February

“I think we won’t worry about travelling too far at the moment.”

Island Dec is also nominated for a Benchmark 78 over 1100m at Hawkesbury on Saturday in case Canterbury happens to wind up very heavy but Price said his preference would be to stick to the fillies and mares on Wednesday.

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