The 2015 Warwick Stakes field has been released and 10 Group 1 winners are set to contest the Group 2 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Kermadec is one of ten Group 1 winners that have been included in the 2015 Warwick Stakes field. Photo by: Steve Hart
Kermadec was one of the most consistent performers during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and he finally broke through for a maiden race win at the highest level of racing with an impressive performance in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
The Teofilo entire has been given two very quiet barrier trials at Rosehill Gardens on July 21 and July 31 in the lead-up to the Warwick Stakes and he is sure to take plenty of benefit from his first-up run.
Kermadec will be joined in the Warwick Stakes by stablemates Beaten Up, Foreteller, Moriarty and Hawkspur, all of whom have previously had success at the highest level of racing, but will likely need more distance in order to perform at their best.
Rounding out the Waller Group 1 winners in the Warwick Stakes field is Royal Descent, who has not recorded a race win since she took out the 2013 edition of the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m), but trialed in impressive fashion at Rosehill Gardens on August 4.
2014 Flight Stakes winner First Seal was unable to record a win at Group 1 level during her autumn campaign, but looks well-placed to make a winning start to her autumn preparation after performing well in two barrier trials in the lead-up to the Warwick Stakes.
First Seal finished a close second in both the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) before she failed to fire in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), but trainer John Thompson believes that she has returned as a much mature horse this campaign.
Another Group 1 winning filly that is set to return to the races in the Warwick Stakes is John Sargent-trained Gust Of Wind, who has been set for both the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Gust Of Wind stamped herself as a horse to follow when she scored a remarkable win at Scone on February 23 and she delivered trainer John Sargent another Oaks success when she upstaged Winx and Candelara to take out the Australian Oaks at Royal Randwick on April 11.
Pornichet finished his winter campaign with a Group 1 victory in the Doomben Cup (2000m) and he is set to return to the races as a Group 1 winner for the first time in the Warwick Stakes.
The Vespone entire has been set for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24, but trainer Gai Waterhouse is typically confident about the chances of the import in the Warwick Stakes.
One of the most interesting horses in the 2015 Warwick Stakes field is Godolphin entire Complacent, who could return to the races for the first time since he finished second behind Polanski in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington in November of 2013.
A tendon injury has ruled Complacent out of the races ever since, but he is now ready to make his return and he has been included in the entries for the Warwick Stakes as well as the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) and an Open Handicap at Moonee Valley.
Complacent is joined in the Warwick Stakes field by stablemate It’s Somewhat, who will be having his first race start since he finished ninth in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
Another trainer that will have multiple runners in the Warwick Stakes is Bjorn Baker, who has included both Burbero and Zaratone in the entries for the $250,000.
Zaratone is set to take up the running in the early stages of the Warwick Stakes, while Burbero has the chance to complete the Missile Stakes/Warwick Stakes double.
