Jockey Hugh Bowman is confident that the resuming Sizzling will be flying home late in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Sizzling joined the stable of Chris Waller at the end of his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and Bowman told Racing Ahead this morning that the stable has been very happy with Snitzel entire since he started his preparation.
Bowman will be riding Sizzling in a race for the first time and believes that the four-year-old is capable of storming home in the final stages of the race to win the Expressway Stakes this weekend.
“The reports from the stable are very positive and anybody that knows the horse knows what he is capable of,” Bowman said.
“Without having the expectation too high, we are expecting a pretty forward showing tomorrow and it wouldn’t surprise anybody if he won I don’t think.
“That is what we are looking for because ultimately if he can acquit himself well tomorrow, he will be in for a good preparation.
“I don’t know if his main aim is a Doncaster or an All Aged Stakes, but the main thing tomorrow is that we want to see the horse perform to a premium.
“If it is run to suit and I can get a trouble free run, he will be very strong over the last 200 metres.”
Chris Waller has been quick to pay credit to the work that veteran Queensland trainer Kelso Wood has done with Sizzling and said he is very pleased to be able to train a horse that has the quality of the Group 1 winner.
While the leading Sydney trainer does not share the confidence of Bowman, he is hopeful that Sizzling will be able to add a second victory at Group 1 level to his racing resume during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
“He is probably a touch on the big side for Saturday, but we have done that to keep him big and strong,” Waller said.
“Hopefully there is a Group 1 coming his way in his next few starts and to get him underway with a nice run will be perfect.
“He will definitely improve immensely on that.”
Sizzling is currently rated a $13 chance in 2014 Expressway Stakes betting markets; with his stablemate Boban ($2.60) a clear favourite from speed sprinter Rain Affair ($4.80), Emirates Stakes placegetter Speediness ($6.50) and two-time Group 1 winner Appearance ($9.50).