Warwick Stakes preview

By Richard Hosnell / Roar Pro

Although it is still winter, this Saturday’s Warwick Stakes Day at Royal Randwick is widely regarded as the first day of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and what a cracker of a start it is shaping up to be!

The Warwick Stakes is a 1400 metre weight-for-age event with prize money of $175,000 and this year has attracted a full field of sixteen with two emergencies. With the weather currently playing havoc on Sydney and more rain expected throughout the week, it is likely that this field will be reduced to somewhere between 10-14 starters.

Two entries that you can nearly put a line through already are Dissident and Boban which is a shame as Boban was terrific first up and looks to be back to his best.

Not to worry though, even with the removal of these two classy types, eight Group 1 winners still remain! Four of these belong to Sydney’s premier trainer, Chris Waller. Waller has a total of nine entries into this race.

Of the nine, his top hopes appear to be Doncaster Mile winner-Sacred Falls who is two from two in heavy going and four-year-old gelding-Weary who hit the line well first up in the Missile Stakes and will appreciate the extra distance, Hawkspur also has claims after running out the missile stakes nicely last start.

Of the other runners, Messene out of the Hawks stable looks up to this after running a good second in the Missile Stakes, heavy going could be an issue but he looks in good form and has a big Spring ahead.

David Payne’s Criterion gets his first crack at weight-for-age and it would be a brave man to write him off after taking out two Group 1s last prep, admittedly these were over 2000 and 2400 metres but he has solid first up form and loves the heavy going.

All in all, it looks like we are in for a cracking race and the result could go a long way to showing us how a few of these are going to perform throughout Spring. If the weather forecast proves to be correct and the going is heavy then a few of these runners that prefer the extra distance could come right into this race, my early predictions on a heavy track is Sacred Falls to beat Hawspur and Criterion, bring on Saturday!

The Crowd Says:

AUTHOR

2014-08-21T08:56:05+00:00

Richard Hosnell

Roar Pro


Have to disagree Bondy, Weary looked good on heavy tracks in Autumn (won a group 3 and ran 3rd in the Doncaster on heavy), Hawkspur is 2 wins and 2 places from six starts on slow/heavy going and Criterion won two Group ones last prep on heavy/slow tracks. Although Messene has to be questioned in the wet (looks a bit short to me)

2014-08-20T21:51:03+00:00

Bondy

Guest


Most of those horses mentioned dont really like soft going apart from Sacred Falls who I doubt can win first up but he does sprint well fresh.

2014-08-20T13:03:44+00:00

BNR

Guest


The Waterhouse colt was Liberation who was a dual nomination and has accepted for the 3y-o Up & Coming Stakes along with stablemate Valentia, also by Fastnet Rock.

2014-08-20T10:26:38+00:00

BrisburghPhil

Roar Guru


Who is the 3 year old Fastnet Rock colt from the Gai Waterhouse stable?

2014-08-19T23:30:02+00:00

Brent Ford

Roar Guru


What a field this race has produced I'm keen to see what the final field looks like come Saturday!

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