Unbeaten three-year-old Bel Sprinter will be trying to build up his rating at Flemington ahead of an ambitious spring campaign.
Trainer Jason Warren said Saturday’s King Island Dairy Hcp (1100m) was an important part of the Bel Esprit gelding’s program which is focused on the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 24.
“The plan was to get him up and going early and win a couple of Super VOBIS races for some prizemoney and get his rating up before the spring,” Warren said.
TAB Sportsbet has Bel Sprinter second favourite at $3.30 behind the Peter Snowden-trained Lohengrin ($2.80) who won his country debut by eight lengths and was second to prolific winner Mr Make Believe at his only other run.
Bel Sprinter is just as untapped after impressive wins at his only two starts.
He went shin-sore after landing his debut at Mornington on December 27 and resumed with a barnstorming half-length victory over stakeswinner General Truce at Moonee Valley on July 2.
Saturday’s assignment is his biggest test to date with a rematch with General Truce ($7) as well as taking on Lohengrin and Peter Moody’s stakes-performed Servant ($11).
“He’s lightly raced and had plenty of time to mature but he is meeting some pretty progressive horses on Saturday,” Warren said.
He said a top two finish would confirm plans to run Bel Sprinter in the Group Three Aurie’s Star Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on August 6.
“Then we can plot a course to the Rupert Clarke with a run or two in between,” Warren said.
He said he had been kind to Bel Sprinter since his Valley win and that he’d had “a sharp little gallop on Tuesday at Mornington to clean him up”.
“He was a bit green at Moonee Valley and ideally we would have liked to have taken him to Flemington during the week for a look at the straight track but unfortunately they don’t allow any horses to do that,” Warren said.
“The straight can be quite daunting for a young horse and it is a bit of a worry but having said that he has got a very big stride and I think it should suit his racing style.
“Both times he got a bit unbalanced when going around the turn at Moonee Valley and Mornington, which are both tight tracks, and the extra 100 metres will undoubtedly help him as well on Saturday.
“He is by no means bulletproof but he’s pretty smart.”
AAP TURF
