The action is continuing to heat up week on week and as we look ahead to Saturday’s stakes races, it shapes as a very important weekend for some of our OTI contingent. Three black-type winners will step out at Flemington, and Athabascan gets to his preferred track and trip in the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap.
At headquarters, Warmonger takes a lead role in driving the excitement when he steps out second up in the 2000m Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. All connected were most pleased with his effort on return in the Makybe and as expected, he’s taken good improvement from the outing. Although the extended journey is much more to his liking, he’s being prepared to peak third up in the 2400m Group 1 Caulfield Cup on October 19. A finish in the first half dozen here will show he’s right on track. To view the field and details, click here.
Warmonger finished 4th in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes first-up.
Amade is another who steps out second up and much like this time last year, it’s expected he proves much more competitive over the extended journey in the 2500m Group 3 Bart Cummings Stakes. He was unsurprisingly left a bit flat footed on return but all signs so far
this preparation suggests he’s still in good form as an 11yo, and this hit out should top him off for his title defence in the 2400m Group 3 Geelong Cup on October 23. To view the field and details, click here.
Femminile, a brilliant Listed winner at 2, is being aimed up at the staying filly features this spring as she builds out in journey. In the 1800m Listed Super Impose Plate, we’d hope to see her finishing off much more boldly and the Flemington circuit should aid her. Whilst her
return in the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes a fortnight ago was nothing to get too excited about, she’s a very clean winded filly who has shown the signs she’s looking for a staying test. A more competitive showing here against the boys will show she’s on track for races like the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes, Group 2 Wakeful Stakes and hopefully, the Group 1 VRC Oaks. To view the field and details, click here.
In Sydney, Athabascan will be our lone representative on Saturday but that certainly doesn’t take away from the excitement of seeing him feature in the 2400m Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap. He’s shown himself to be top-class stayer in Australia over the past 12 months,
with multiple stakes wins and a 2nd -placed finish in the Group 1 Sydney Cup. Building through the campaign as he always does, we were more pleased with his second up run than most would appreciate and this is the track and trip where he starts to really hit his straps. Drawn well with Jason Collett aboard, it would not surprise anyone involved in the horse if was to be right in the finish. To view the field and details, click here.
Athabascan finished 2nd in the 2024 G1 Sydney Cup.
We’re excited for a big Saturday of racing and hope to see the silks in the finish of a few feature events.