Trainer Gai Waterhouse believes that talented import Pornichet is perfectly placed in the 2015 George Main Stakes at Royal Randwick tomorrow.
Pornichet has the chance to record a second Group 1 win in the 2015 George Main Stakes at Royal Randwick tomorrow. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Pornichet started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a very tough second behind Royal Descent in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on August 22 and the race was not run to suit in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at the same venue on September 5.
Waterhouse believes that Pornichet has taken plenty of benefit out of her two race starts to date during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and she told Racing Ahead that she rates the Vespone entire a genuine winning chance in the 2015 George Main Stakes.
“I am extremely happy,” Waterhouse said.
“This should really be his main mission in Sydney.
“I think that he is perfectly placed in the race and I think the track conditions will suit him down to the ground.
“He has the right form and he is doing everything the right away at present.”
Blake Shinn pressed forward on Pornichet in the early stages of the Warwick Stakes, but he rode the five-year-old far more conservatively in the Chelmsford Stakes.
Waterhouse believes that there will be more speed in the early stages of the George Main Stakes than there was in the Chelmsford Stakes, but she still expects Shinn to settle Pornichet just behind the speed.
“I would say that there will be a lot more speed than normal and he will be up there bowling along,” Waterhouse said.
“Hopefully he will find his feet a little bit off the speed and be motoring home at the end.”
Pornichet has been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Waterhouse said she considered keeping the Doomben Cup winner in Sydney for the $1 million race, but she confirmed that the Cox Plate contender would have his next race in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4.
Waterhouse has been the most successful trainer in the George Main Stakes in the last 30 years and she is chasing her fifth win in the Group 1 event after previously taking it out with Juggler (1996), Grand Armee (2004), Mr Celebrity (2005) and More Joyous (2010).
Pornichet is currently available at 2015 George Main Stakes odds of $7 with Ladbrokes and he is on the third line of betting behind Kermadec ($2.70) and Royal Descent ($4.40).
