A horse that got within a head of beating outstanding colt Pierro last year will chase his first city victory at Canterbury on Wednesday.
The Paul Perry-trained three-year-old Hidden Warrior will line up in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1100m) after breaking through for a maiden win at his home track at Newcastle two weeks ago.
Hidden Warrior was beaten a head by Pierro when both made their debuts in the Listed Breeders’ Plate (1000m) a year ago.
Pierro remains undefeated with his eight wins encompassing the two-year-old Group One triple crown and he is favourite for both the Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate.
Hidden Warrior was second in the Wyong Magic Millions at his second start before being spelled after his unplaced effort at Rosehill on December 31.
The gelding resumed over 900m at Newcastle, with Pierro’s jockey Nash Rawiller in the saddle, and raced to a 1-1/4-length win as a short-priced favourite.
Perry expects Hidden Warrior to have improved from that win.
“He went into that race at Newcastle without a trial so it was a good win and he should take natural improvement,” Perry said.
“He did everything asked of him and it was a bit of a soft win. Nash liked the run and he’ll be better for having ridden the horse too.”
Perry said there were “no grand plans” with Hidden Warrior but he would be guided by what he did at Canterbury.
“We’ll just see how he goes tomorrow and take it from there,” Perry said.
“He’ll want to do something in that grade of race to be making a progression.”
Perry, meanwhile, is set to start two-year-old colt Wouldnt It Be Nice in Saturday’s Listed Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at Randwick.
Wouldnt It Be Nice is a son of trailblazing sprinter Choisir who was trained by Perry to win the sprint double at Royal Ascot in 2003.
Wouldnt It Be nice has won an 800m trial at Cessnock and another at Wyong.
“He’s done everything asked of him at this stage,” Perry said.
AAP TUR
