Trainer Jason Warren has dismissed an Oakleigh Plate-Newmarket Handicap double assault with exciting four-year-old Bel Sprinter.
Warren said the Bel Esprit would run in only one of the feature autumn sprints but that decision won’t be made until after the gelding resumes in Saturday’s Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
“He’s nominated for the Newmarket (on March 10) but the Oakleigh Plate (on February 25) would also be a good race for him,” Warren said.
“We will make decision after Saturday and see where we end up but he won’t run in both.”
Bel Sprinter has won four of his five starts with his only defeat coming at the end of his last campaign when he was bloused on the line by Lone Rock in the Group Three Bobbie Lewis Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on September 3.
He posted his fourth win in a row with his only stakes victory in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 13.
Warren was keen to push Bel Sprinter out to 1400 metres last campaign but decided that an extended break before the autumn would be in the best interests of the horse.
“He’s still got to learn to settle a bit more and that is why he is running over 1000 metres this weekend,” Warren said.
“It’s still an option to try him over 1400 metres but at this stage we will stick with the short course races and he will tell us when he is ready to stretch out further,” Warren said.
Bel Sprinter pleased Warren with a searching gallop at Sandown last week which has brought him on for his first-up assignment.
He has 58kg on Saturday making him equal second topweight with former Darwin sprinter Canali.
First Command has 60kg after his last start win in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
Warren said Bel Sprinter had furnished since the spring and was in top order to launch his autumn campaign
“He is pretty much on song,” Warren said.
“He has strengthened up a bit so I imagine he has improved a bit.”
AAP TURF
