Yesterday’s storms in Sydney and the forecast of further rain during the week has dampened the chances of Bel Sprinter scoring back to back wins in the Group 1 $400,000 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
A wet track will dampen the chances of Bel Sprinter in The Galaxy. Photo by Steve Hart.
Jason Warren had Bel Sprinter’s preparation timed to the minute for the six year to repeat last year’s breathtaking last to first win but now with the prospect of a wet track, the Mornington trainer has lost a little bit of confidence.
“He ran into a wet track in the Moir Stakes and didn’t really like it,’’ Warren told The Daily Telegraph.
And Warren noted that the Rosehill track favoured the front runner’s late in the day last Saturday and if that applies again this week it will make Bel Sprinter’s job even harder.
“Horses don’t seem to be making ground on it which is a concern,’’ Warren said.
While Bel Sprinter hasn’t started on a slow track to date, Warren said that the Bel Esprit gelding wasn’t comfortable on the Dead 5 when sixth to Samaready in the Group 1 $450,000 Programmed Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last September.
And even though Bel Sprinter hasn’t won a race since claiming The Galaxy last year, Warren was more than happy with his latest run when he made up plenty of ground in the straight to finish one and a half lengths fourth to Villa Verde in the Group 2 $400,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 15.
“He is kicking along lovely up there at Randwick in the warm weather,” Warren said.
“He really enjoys it up there.”
Bel Sprinter kicked off his Autumn Carnival campaign with a first up ninth of eighteen behind Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 22 and Warren admits that he might have been a little bit underdone.
“He probably needed the first-up run in the Oakleigh Plate, being a year older,” Warren said.
“The horse isn’t showing the brilliance he was last year but he’s carrying more weight.
“It’s hard to compare how he’s going, but I think he’s going pretty well.”
One trainer who was happy to see the skies open up was Queenslander Tony Gollan who will saddle up Temple Of Boom in The Galaxy.
Temple Of Boom is also a previous winner of The Galaxy in 2012 and the Piccolo seven year old has a tremendous wet track record.
From eight starts on the slow he has three wins and four placings while on the heavy he has two wins from three attempts.
“They’ve forecasted eight days of rain in Sydney and he has come through his first-up run in the Challenge Stakes in really good shape,” Gollan said.
“We’re just looking for a nice wet track for him at Rosehill and if he gets those conditions there is no reason he won’t run well.”
Temple Of Boom was only beaten one and three quarter lengths when eighth first up in the Challenge Stakes and Gollan can see everything falling into place for his stable stalwart to win his second Group 1.
And another victory in The Galaxy would cap off a successful nine days for Gollan after winning the Group 1 $400,000 Hacer Group William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last Friday night with Spirit Of Boom.
