Warwick Stakes Provides Spring Focus

The racing spotlight switches to Sydney this week where the Group 2 Warwick Stakes promises to be a pivotal race for the upcoming spring racing carnival. The race boasts a host of elite weight-for-age performers including Theseo, Metal Bender, Sniper's Bullet and Triple Honour while the up-and-comer Brilliant Light looks to take the next step in its burgeoning career. Many of the runners are aiming for much bigger riches later in the year and may not yet be ready for the 1400 metres so punters are set to flock to the distance specialist Danleigh (trained by Chris Waller) who will be much fitter for his first-up run behind Love Conquers All in the Missile Stakes.

Betstar's Alan Eskander said punters had been jumping on the Waller bandwagon. "His stable is on fire this season (29 of his 32 runners have finished in the first five since August 1 including ten winners) and he's already more than double the next trainer on the Sydney Premiership. With the benefit of his first-up run, Danleigh is entitled to be pretty short, we have already taken a bet of $7,000 at $3.10 and the huge interest from punters has seen him come into $2.80, this still represents great value as most of his opposition are going to be looking at longer races later in the spring as their main aims," Eskander said.

"Brilliant Light is the interesting runner. He made great gains in his last campaign culminating in his terrific third in the Doncaster but he is going to need an ounce of luck from barrier 14 around Warwick Farm."

Punters also get to have another look at the top three-year-olds on Saturday with the fillies contesting the Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes and the "boys" clashing in the Group 3 Up and Coming Stakes. According to Eskander, neither race is clear cut. "We've put Solar Charged up as favourite at $3.80 in the fillies race but there look to a host of chances and it's similar story in the Up and Coming. Decision Time is drawn beautifully and Hugh Bowman rides so he's top pick around $3.50 but that may change significantly by the time race day comes around."

Betstar’s Warwick Stakes Market

To organise an interview with Alan Eskander contact Pip Kerr on 0420 441 983 or email pkerr@betstar.com.au