Puritan appears likely to sneak into the 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude field that will be released tomorrow and trainer Jason Warren is confident that the lightly-raced gelding will measure up in the Group 3 event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Puritan finished fourth behind Kinglike (pictured) in the 2015 Danehill Stakes and will return to the races in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude this weekend. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Puritan stamped himself as a horse to follow when he made his racing debut with a very comfortable win in the Growmaster Sale Maiden Plate (1100m) at Pakenham on August 30 and he was far from disgraced when he finished fourth behind Kinglike, Raphael’s Cat and Ready For Victory in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 12.
Warren told Sky Racing HQ that Puritan has trained on strongly since his impressive effort in the Danehill Stakes and he believes that the son of Beneteau is capable of producing an even better performance in the 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
“I am hopeful that we will get a run and if we do our horse will run really well,” Warren said.
“He has trained on terrifically since his last start there in the Danehill down the straight
“He was down the straight for just his second start and he was a little bit new because he is still very green, but he couldn’t have gone much better.
“He hasn’t left an oat, he had a good solid piece of work on Saturday and again today.
“I feel that the horses confidence is up at the moment and he is still on the way up, which is really exciting going forward.”
While Warren is delighted with the condition of Puritan, he admits that the three-year-old will likely need to go to another level to win the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and prove worthy of a maiden start at the highest level of racing in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10.
“Every year it is a really solid build-up to the Guineas,” Warren said.
“It is tough going at that level.”
Warren has never previously had a runner in the Caulfield Guineas and he is chasing his first win at Group 1 level since the recently retired Bel Sprinter recorded a most impressive victory in the 2013 edition of the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m).
Puritan is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude odds of $17, while J.J. Atkins winner Press Statement ($3.50) and Mick Price-trained Ready For Victory ($3.75) are both locked in a battle for favouritism.
