Cox Plate winning trainer Danny O’Brien has primed his electrifying two year old Prompt Return for a first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Prompt Return is primed for a winning first up peformance in the Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
O’Brien has his eyes set on the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28 and said that Prompt Return would have to win on the weekend if he was to have any chance of winning the Group 1 for the two year old in three weeks time.
“You need to be winning these races or you are not going to be winning the Diamond,” O’Brien told Racing Network.
“We are not coming here half-hearted on Saturday – he’s here to win. He’s done enough to win, there will not be any excuses.”
Prompt return hasn’t raced since running second to the Gai Waterhouse trained Carriages in the $200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic (1000m) at Ballarat on November 22 but has had two recent jump outs to fit him for his return to the race track.
“He’s had the two jump outs and they were excellent,” O’Brien said.
“We let him float along in his first jump out and we gave him more rein the other day and he ran time and did it pretty easily.”
O’Brien took Prompt Return to Bendigo for his race debut where he collected the prize with a win in a 900m two year old maiden on October 18 before coming to town to score a two lengths victory in the Group 3 $150,000 racing.com Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington on November 8.
The Beneteau colt was given a break after his second at Ballarat and O’Brien is very happy with the way he has developed into an outstanding two year old thoroughbred.
“He’s just an imposing animal, he’s a forward two-year-old. Wait until you see him in the mounting yard, he will dwarf the others.”
Prompt Return is listed as the $3.30 favourite for the Chairman’s Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au and a win on the weekend will certainly see his Blue Diamond Stakes price of $15 shorten up significantly.
The Robert Smerdon trained Thurlow and Haybah from the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig training team share the second line of betting at $4.40 ahead of first starter More Than Most at $6 and Wez Hunter’s debut winner Parcel at $7.
