Panzer Division can earn himself a start in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 13 if he can win at Randwick on Saturday.
Scissor Kick, yellow cap, and Panzer Division, black cap, cross the line together in the Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Paul Messara trained Panzer Division needs to collect a major slice of the prizemoney in the Group 3 $125,000 Ming Dynasty Quality Handicap (1400m) to be able to take his place in the first Group 1 of the Sydney Autumn Carnival the following week.
“At the moment he is borderline to get into the Golden Rose on prize money,” Messara told AAP.
“If he ran a super race on Saturday we would give consideration to backing him up.”
But if Panzer Division failed to make the field for the Golden Rose Stakes, Messara won’t be too disappointed and will head the Redoute’s Choice colt towards the Group 1 $400,000 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 11.
“But my primary blueprint was always to head towards the Spring Champion Stakes,” Messara said.
Messara already has a certain Golden Rose Stakes runners with Scissor Kick who is undefeated at his three runs this campaign.
There was less than a whisker between the stablemates when they crossed the line together in the Group 3 $125,000 Synergy FX Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on August 23 but the judge was able to find the smallest of margins to separate the pair.
The two Messara trained colts weren’t that comfortable on the heavy Randwick track but were able to avoid the interference caused by the wayward Liberation and the Scone trainer said that a better surface at Randwick on Saturday will help Panzer Division.
“I understand about the wayward horse but the two I had in it, neither enjoyed the track at all, particularly Panzer Division,” Messara said.
“I’m hoping the track dries out and we get better ground. If we do this horse will improve again.”
Panzer Division is well in the betting for the Ming Dynasty Quality Handicap with Ladbrokes.com.au marking the colt a $5.50 chance behind the Gerald Ryan trained Washington Heights at $2.25.
Valentia from the Gai Waterhouse stable is next in the market order at $6 with Lady Sharapova the only other runner under double figures at $8.
