Entirely Platinum Picture Perfect Heading Into Chelmsford Stakes

Entirely Platinum has opened as a clear favourite in 2014 Chelmsford Stakes betting markets and co-trainer Michael Hawkes is delighted with the condition of the talented gelding heading into the Group 2 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Entirely Platinum will make his weight-for-age debut in the 2014 Chelmsford Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend.

Entirely Platinum will make his weight-for-age debut in the 2014 Chelmsford Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Entirely Platinum started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a comfortable win in the Canterbury Hurlstone RSL Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 16, but he will face a much stiffer test when he makes his weight-for-age debut in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).

Team Hawkes elected not to run Entirely Platinum in the Listed Premier’s Cup (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens last weekend due to concerns about the wet track, but Hawkes told Racing Ahead that the stable had no hesitations about including the five-year-old in the Chelmsford Stakes field.

“He was going to run last week in the 1800, but when he was allotted 59 we decided that we might as well carry 59 at weight-for-age and test him out over the mile at Randwick,” Hawkes said.

“He has trained on beautifully since that run, his trial was great and he is just picture perfect.

“He is just getting better with time.

“He has never been a horse that we have had primed up first or second up, but he works himself there and further into his preparation the better he gets.

“He is just a quality horse and he lets his races do the talking for him.

“You can’t fault his record second-up, it is unblemished.

“He looks great, he is going to be a very competitive chance and I know that we are very happy going into the race.”

There is no natural leader in the 2014 Chelmsford Stakes and the race, like a number of weight-for-age contests at this time of year, could end up becoming a very tactical affair.

Entirely Platinum has raced close to the speed in the majority of his race starts to date, but Hawkes said that he will not be giving regular jockey James McDonald any firm instructions and he will encourage the leading hoop to settle the five-year-old where he is comfortable in the early stages of the race.

“He will jump and be wherever,” Hawkes said.

“The thing with this horse is that he is very adaptable and he doesn’t have to set breaking speed and he can sit off him.

“Everybody saw what he could do first-up close to the speed and his best attribute is that he can be wherever he needs to be and that is quiet important.

“Wherever he is happy in the run, James knows him and he knows what he has underneath him.

“Hopefully everybody can see that on Saturday.”

Entirely Platinum is currently available at 2014 Chelmsford Stakes odds of $3.20 and he is a clear favourite from Royal Descent ($4.20), Criterion ($5) and Sacred Falls ($5.50) in the betting market for the Group 2 event with Ladbrokes Australia.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.