Warpainted set to get back to winning ways after stable switch
The strength of the three-year-old ranks at the recent Wagga Cup carnival goes on the line at Monday's Corowa meeting.
Progressive Albury three-year-old Warpainted is very well-placed to get back to winning ways fourth-up in a Benchmark 58 Hcp over the mile.
It will only be the gelding's second run for leading border trainer Donna Scott after a rapid-fire stable switch from Gary Colvin at Wagga in between the Guineas Prelude and the Listed Final just 17 days ago.
Warpainted, a dominant Class 1 winner back on Australia Day, was at big odds when having just his sixth start, finishing only three lengths from smart Guineas Prelude winner Dupli Kate.
That was in the Colvin yard before he was abruptly transferred to the Scott camp at Albury, and only a couple of weeks later again produced a brave effort in the Wagga Guineas showdown, finishing just over two lengths from Dupli Kate again.
Given the obvious depth of that race run at BM 74 level, Warpainted's immediate big drop in grade here makes him hard to beat on a track that should remain firm having sidestepped all the rain that is hammering the NSW East Coast.
A tough on-speed son of 2018 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner D'argento, Warpainted has drawn ideally to roll forward, with Blaike McDougall taking over in the saddle.
It would certainly snap a recent frustrating run for the Scott stable which hasn't tasted success in nearly five weeks, although a double at Albury on April 17 had capped eight individual winners from her last 22 starts through the first half of autumn.
The race, though, is the last and clearly strongest of three consecutive BM 58 battles to close the Corowa meeting.
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News.com.au
12 hours ago
- News.com.au
Newcastle preview: An unusual failure can soon be forgotten as consistent gelding Rush Attack is well placed at home
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Herald Sun
5 days ago
- Herald Sun
Diwali springs a surprise in Sandown Cup
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The Age
30-05-2025
- The Age
Race-by-race preview and tips for Saturday meeting at Rosehill
4. Codetta might find 1100m a touch sharp, given her three runs to date have been over 1200m, but there is enough in the early price to take the punt on her. She remains an underrated filly for Michael Freedman despite her good record. The prospect of a soft track is perfect too. She is versatile in terms of where she can settle, which gives apprentice Jace McMurray a few options pending her getaway. She resumed a winner last time in, albeit in provincial Class 1 company. Was well beaten before spelling by Scintilla, but the winner is a smart filly, and Flying Thinker was back in third. 13. Ellipsis has been met with early support. She's an improving Bjorn Baker-trained filly. Only won narrowly first up, but there was merit to that performance, hitting the front a long way from home. Flying Embers ran her to a narrow margin, and she has since won twice herself. Ellipsis tackles this five weeks between runs but has won a trial since. Maps well from the inside. 6. Don't Forget Jack has had three different homes despite being just six starts into his career. How To Play It: Codetta WIN Race 6 - 1.55pm: RANVET HANDICAP (1500m) 8. Scalextrics was posted three deep at Doomben last start. It was a brave effort to keep finding the line to hold down fifth. The race was won by Fukubana, a good form reference for this despite the four-length margin. The five-year-old, trained by Matt Smith, may have been flattered by the heavy track given he loves wet ground, but Saturday's track, although improving, should still be rain-affected. Prior to last start Scalextrics ran a close-up third behind Thunderlips who has run well since. Back in fourth was 7. Little Cointreau, which the market has pegged as one of the key chances. 3. Furious looked the winner at Kensington last start, dropping back to midweek company but was run down by Pippie Beach in a tight finish. They beat the third horse two lengths. Has won out to the mile, so 1500m looks perfect third up. 4. Enter The Dragon has scrambled home by narrow margins at his past two starts, but winning has become a habit for this three-year-old. His record reads five wins from seven starts. How To Play It: Scalextrics EACH WAY Race 7 - 2.30pm: ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1200m) 10. Kerguelen has only raced once in the past 10 months. He was beaten as an odds-on favourite at Canterbury back in November. It was only narrowly. He was tipped straight out thereafter. The four-year-old has trialled twice ahead of his return, doing it comfortably. To this point, the gelding boasts a record of 5:2:3-0. One of those defeats was to Cool Jakey and another Eye Of The Fire. Kerguelen is a proven fresh horse, is still progressive and should get the perfect run in transit from the draw. Kerrin McEvoy jumps aboard for the first time. Four of his five starts have been on heavy tracks. 2. Spanish Fox has found 1100m too sharp in two runs back. He is creeping out to his right trip now. He strung together five straight wins last campaign out to 1300m. Like the way he kept chasing Zealously at Scone last start. 9. Unstopabull caught the eye when running fifth in that same Scone race. He was dragged back to last in the run. Hoping for a cleaner getaway on Saturday. Out to 1200m now on a soft track looks ideal. How To Play It: Kerguelen WIN Race 8 - 3.05pm: KIA LORD MAYORS CUP (2000m) 5. Glory Daze appreciated getting out to 2000m third up. It looked like a form reversal on paper, but his first and second up runs did have merit. His record over 2000m reads 4:3-1-0. The six-year-old is a big gelding, so needs room. That sees barrier 2 potentially pose some problems, but with clear running, he'll be hard to hold out on the quick backup. It was a very testing, heavy track last Saturday, but Glory Daze has bounced out of that run for the stable to turn him out seven days later. Evenly matched race, and that might give him a small edge. 7. Kadavar is likely to still be a run short of producing his best, and he maps to be giving away a big head start from the wide gate, but he charged home in the Scone Cup over the mile first up. Looking back on 11. Don Diego De Vega 's two failures over the spring, we can chalk those down to not being comfortable on good tracks. His two prior Australian runs, on soft and heavy ground, are perhaps a better indication of his talent. How To Play It: Glory Daze WIN Race 9 - 3.40pm: CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1800m) 12. Freight Train hasn't had much go his way in his past two starts. Given his tendency of laying in, connections have decided to try the four-year-old the Sydney way for the first time. The son of Shamus Award, trained by Price and Kent, has travelled like he has had something to offer in his two most recent runs, but has struck traffic. First at Flemington and then most recently at Caulfield behind stablemate Wonderkid. 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She ended last campaign a 3.5 length winner at Wyong, running second to Gangster Granny at Canterbury prior to that. The 1200m as a kick off says she is ready to go first up given that she has resumed over 1000m in her three previous campaigns. Has good natural speed but she doesn't have to lead. 7. Pajanti didn't get the clearest of passages at Randwick first up, charging home into second behind all-the-way winner Memoria. Like that she has been kept fresh since, five weeks between runs, given the mare's first up record. 17. So You Pence dodged the heavy track last Saturday where she was set to jump a firm favourite in Highway Handicap company. How To Play It: Weeping Woman WIN
