Adrian Bott isn’t sure if his two Randwick Guineas runners are sharp enough to upset the favourites, but he does believe both can make their mark this autumn.
Bott and training partner Gai Waterhouse will start Les Vampires and Ganbare, both horses arriving at Saturday’s 1600 metre race via the Hobartville Stakes (1400m), the race that has produced 14 of the past 18 Randwick Guineas winner.
Having just his fifth start and second in black-type grade, Les Vampires made the running and fought on strongly to finish third to Celestial Legend in the Hobartville, the winner again among his rivals on Saturday.
Bott took positives from that performance and expects the son of Pierro to be better again over the longer Guineas journey.
“He was great the other day and he should keep improving,” Bott said.
“He got into a nice rhythm over the 1400 and I think he should appreciate the mile.
“It was a good step that he was able to prove himself in that company.
“We haven’t seen the best from him yet.”
Bott says Les Vampires is likely to continue to rise in trip pending his performance at Randwick, as is stablemate Ganbare.
A Listed winner, Ganbare was outsprinted in the Hobartville and Bott expected a distance rise to suit him, although he said the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) would be a better fit again.
“Over 1400, they’re a bit sharp for him so he will improve at the mile and he will improve again off the back of Saturday,” Bott said.
“The Rosehill Guineas and the Derby, they’re going to be the two main races for him.”
Multiple Group 1 winner Militarize is a clear-cut $2.30 favourite for the Randwick Guineas, ahead of untapped colt Celestial Legend ($4.20).
Les Vampires and Ganbare are priced at $13 and $19 respectively and while expecting competitive showings, Bott concedes they face a tough ask to down the leading fancies.
“It’s going to be hard, they’re two very nice horses,” he said.
Waterhouse and Bott won the Randwick Guineas two years ago with Converge, who claimed the scalp of subsequent star weight-for-age galloper Anamoe.
