Burbero will take his place in the 2015 Warwick Stakes and trainer Bjorn Baker believes that the Missile Stakes winner’s fitness edge will be key to his chances in the Group 2 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Burbero has the chance to become the first horse since Pinwheel in 2012 to complete the Missile Stakes/Warwick Stakes double. Photo by: Steve Hart
Burbero showed that he was capable of competing at the highest level of racing when he took out the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) and finished sixth in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival before he returned to winning form with a fast-finishing victory in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 8.
Baker admits that Burbero will face much stiffer challenge in the Warwick Stakes this weekend, but he is hopeful that the fitness edge the O’Reilly gelding has over the likes of First Seal, Kermadec, Pornichet and Royal Descent will help him be competitive in the Group 2 race.
“He is in great order,” Baker told Sky Racing HQ.
“He seems to be as good as ever.
“It is a big ask and the field looks very, very good, but you have to be in to win and he is coming off a last start win, which has to count for something.
“Burbero has taken me by surprise and he has stepped another two or three notches, so with fitness aboard he is not out of the race.
“I couldn’t be happier with how he is going.
“I am just looking forward to the race and it is just a nice time of the year to be involved.”
Brodie Loy developed a strong relationship with Burbero during his autumn campaign, but he missed the ride in the Missile Stakes after injuring his elbow in a race fall.
Replacement rider Rory Hutchings timed his run perfectly on Burbero in the Missile Stakes and Baker confirmed that Hutchings will be given another chance to partner the seven-year-old in the Warwick Stakes on Saturday.
“Rory rides again,” Loy said.
“I thought he rode him exactly to instructions last time.
“Brodie has been a big key getting the horse into the right racing pattern and he really is much better ridden cold and finishing off.
“He showed a lot of patience last time and he we will look to ride him much the same.”
Baker also included Zaratone in the 2015 Warwick Stakes nominations that were released yesterday, but the veteran sprinter will need a number of horses above him in the order of entry to be withdrawn from the race in order to be guaranteed a start.
