Michael Kent Jr has labelled Mangani (NZ) (Tarzino) as one to watch in the spring.

The two-year-old son of Tarzino made his debut over 1400m at Flemington last Saturday and while he finished eighth, Kent said a lot of factors went against him.

“If you were to script the worst scenario for a nice horse debuting it would be staying in barrier one for three minutes, miss the start, and a moderate tempo,” Kent, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, told RSN927.

“They quickened down and he couldn’t go with them, but through the line he was perfect. We would have preferred for him to have drawn a bit out and build momentum at the right time.”

He has now been sent to the spelling paddock ahead of what Kent anticipates to be a lucrative spring for the rising three-year-old.

“He is a gorgeous colt and I would be very surprised if he wasn’t in some of those Derby lead-ups in the spring,” he said.