Mornington trainer Jason Warren will add blinkers to the gear of Bel Sprinter as the six year old attempts to win another Group 1 race in the $500,000 The Tapestry Wines Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Bel Sprinter will wear the blinkers in the Goodwood. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bel Sprinter hasn’t won a race since beating Snitzerland in the Group 1 $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill just over twelve months ago.
Warren has replaced the winkers with the blinkers after Bel Sprinter beat only one runner home when fourteenth to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 12, but the trainer blames the poor run on the heavy track conditions.
“I just wanted a gear change after a poor run,” Warren told AAP.
“I put the poor run down to the heavy track as much as anything.
“But this is his last throw at the stumps for a Group One this autumn.”
Warren has been reluctant to put the blinkers on until now because he described Bel Sprinter as a fierce-going horse in the past, but he is settling a lot better lately and Warren is expecting a much improved effort at his last run before being sent out prior to his Spring preparation.
“He’s always been a bit of a fierce-going horse so we’ve never put them on before,” Warren said.
“But now he’s settling. He’s in good order and he’ll run well next week. Then he’ll spell before the spring.”
Saturday’s run will be Bel Sprinter’s fifth run this campaign and his fourth at Group 1 level this Autumn.
The Bel Esprit gelding’s best run this preparation was three runs back when fourth to Villa Verde in the Group 2 $400,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 15 on a dead track.
Bel Sprinter is currently marked as a $13 chance in the Goodwood behind Caulfield sprinter Sistine Demon at $5.50.
Blue Diamond Stakes winner Miracles Of Life and last year’s winner Platelet share the next line of betting at $7 ahead of the Gai Waterhouse trained Driefontein at $8 and Unpretentious at $9, while Sessions and Essay Raider are both rated $11 chances.
