Trainer Gai Waterhouse is hoping that her stable star Pornichet can live up to his glittering trackwork and go one better in the Group 2 $250,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Pornichet, above, gets his chance to reverse the placings with Royal Descent in the Chelmsford Stakes. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Pornichet resumed from a short break to run second to the Chris Waller trained Royal Descent in the Group 2 $250,000 Pro-Ride Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 22.
The French import found Royal Descent, also nominated for the weight for age contest on Saturday, too slick in the Warwick Stakes but Waterhouse has been pleased with him on the training tracks since and is hoping he can reverse the placings this week.
“Pornichet has come through first up run v. well, Blake Shinn’s best of the AM. Look for a big run SAT G2 Chelmsford,” Waterhouse tweeted.
Waterhouse also wrote on her website that Blake Shinn was most impressed with his work over 1400m at Randwick this morning after he rounded off his gallop in a slick 12.7s for the final 200m.
“Blake Shinn’s best of the morning was Pornichet who the Melbourne Cup winning hoop described as ‘ready for Saturday.’ Pornichet cruised over 1400m coming home his last 200m in 12.7 seconds. Hopefully he can go one better second up,” Waterhouse wrote.
Pornichet developed into a Group 1 winner over the Brisbane Winter Carnival when he scored a sensational runaway win in the $650,000 The Bundaberg Rum Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 9.
Waterhouse immediately mapped out a Spring Carnival program that will lead towards the Group 1 $3m William Hill Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
Royal Descent is one of twelve horses from the Waller stable nominated for the Chelmsford Stakes with Doncaster Mile winner Kermadec also among them.
The BMW winner Hartnell is resuming for the Spring and joins stablemates It’s Somewhat and Complacent as three John O’Shea trained horses nominated for the Chelmsford Stakes.
Hartnell has been installed the early $3.60 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Chelmsford Stakes ahead of Kermadec at $4.80 with Pornichet and Royal Descent sharing the next line of betting at $5.50.
Pornichet is also well fancied in early Cox Plate market orders and is marked at $15 alongside of Criterion, Hartnell, and Kermadec.
The John O’Shea trained Contributer heads the Cox Plate betting at $9 just ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s Highland Reel at $11 and top English galloper Arod at $13.
