Trainer Chris Waller believes that talented juvenile Brazen Beau is the horse to beat in the 2014 BRC Sires Produce Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Brazen Beau made his racing debut with an impressive four and a half lengths victory in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury on February 5, but was sent to the spelling paddock after finishing fifth as favourite in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
The I Am Invincible colt was sent to Queensland for a 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival campaign and stamped himself as a leading contender for the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 7 with a comfortable win over Looks Like The Cat and Shaumari in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 10.
Brazen Beau will face a similar field in the BRC Sires Produce Stakes this weekend and Waller said that the other runners in the Group 2 event will have to improve to beat his classy colt.
“He has trained on very well,” Waller said.
“I was up on the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning to see him work and he worked very well.
“Natural progression should say that he will be hard to beat again and he is the benchmark, he proved that two weeks, and the others will need to improve to beat him.
“He hasn’t been at the distance, but I am not concerned.”
Brazen Beau is currently a clear favourite in 2014 BRC Sires Produce Stakes betting markets, at odds of $2.50, but there has been a fair bit of support at Ladbrokes Australia for Mick Price-trained Pressing.
Pressing recorded a professional win on debut in the Mindy Green Plate (1200m) at Caulfield on April 12 before earning himself a trip to the Sunshine State with a dominant victory in the Sky High Mt Dandenong Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on May 3.
The Sebring colt has been backed into 2014 BRC Sires Produce odds of $6 and is now on the second line of betting from Tony Gollan-trained Looks Like The Cat ($6.50) and the in-form Aimee.
Waller is chasing his fourth win in the BRC Sires Produce Stakes after previously taking out the race with Zoustar in 2013, Pressday in 2010 and Danleigh in 2006.