Jason Warren believes Bel Sprinter could be the horse he has been waiting for despite his scrambling win to keep his unbeaten record intact at Flemington.
The Mornington trainer feared the Bel Esprit gelding was a bit too fresh going into the King Island Dairy Hcp (1100m) having had a three-week break since his first-up win over 1000m at Moonee Valley.
“He was a bit fired up prior to the race today and I was a bit worried he might do that,” Warren said.
“Bennie (Melham) put him where he was comfortable. I thought he might have pushed the button a little bit early and I wouldn’t want to have it all over again.”
Bel Sprinter ($2.80 eq fav) made it three from three when he lasted for a long head victory over the fast-finishing Nicholls Court ($31) with General Truce ($12) a short half-head away third.
“He’s done a terrific job, he’s only a baby, he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he was in front a long way out and they had their chance to get to him but full credit to the horse,” Warren said.
Warren said he was looking forward to Bel Sprinter facing his biggest test to date, all being well, in the Group Three Aurie’s Star Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on August 6.
However he expressed some doubt about him making it to a race such as the Group One Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 24.
“We’ll have to see. He might be a bit immature for that. The way he raced today was probably a little bit upside down for 1400 metres,” Warren saud.
“But he was only second-up and a bit of racing might bring him back to earth.”
Warren tasted black-type success when Rhythm In Paris won the Group Three Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last August before going amiss later that spring and Bel Sprinter looks a worthy replacement.
“He might be the horse. He can’t do more than what he’s done,” the trainer said.
“Since we gave him his first jumpout I was very confident of the horse’s ability and it’s good to see him putting the form together.”
AAP TURF
