A rushed preparation for Bel Sprinter hasn’t fazed trainer Jason Warren leading up to tonight’s Group 1 $450,000 Programmed Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Bel Sprinter has had rushed prep going into the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley first up. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Warren was faced with a tight time frame due to quarantine regulations to tune up Bel Sprinter following the six year olds second to Lucky Nine in the Group 1 S$1m Krisflyer International Sprint (1200m) at Singapore on May 19.
But Warren will not offer that as an excuse if his stable star gets beat.
“If he runs up to his Autumn form he will be the hardest to beat in the race,” Warren told the Sportsman.
“I think he will run very well, don’t get me wrong, his first up record is awesome but his best runs are over a little shorter.”
“He’s come back in terrific order with a good enough muscle tone so that I could get into him a little earlier to get him to this race.”
“I’ve pushed him a little bit to get to the race, the preparation time isn’t as long as I would usually have.”
The Mornington speedster is unbeaten first up from five attempts, but they were all over 1000m and 1100m while he is facing the 1200m first up for the first time.
Bel Sprinter cracked it at Group 1 level last preparation first up over 1100m with a three and a quarter lengthts victory over Snitzerland in the $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 30.
Snitzerland will meet Bel Sprinter 2kgs better off tonight after the pair carried equal weights in the Galaxy.
But even with restricted time Warren was able to get one barrier trial into Bel Sprinter over 800m at Cranbourne on September 9, running a nose second to last Saturday’s Caulfield winner Shamal Wind.
The Moir Stakes, elevated to Group 1 status for the first time tonight, has pulled together a great line-up of short course sprinters and is going to be a great spectacle under the Moonee Valley lights.
In a very tight betting race, Queenslander Buffering holds a slight advantage at the top of the market order and has been marked at $4.20 to win his first Group 1 race.
Bel Sprinter is on the second line of betting at $4.60, but only just in ahead of Doomben 10,000 winner Epaulette and Snitzerland at $4.80.
Last year’s Blue Diamond winner Samaready is at $8 after winning the Group 3 $135,000 The Heath (1100m) at Caulfield on August 31 at her first run for twelve months and the Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change is next in the betting at $9.
The Moonee Valley track has been rated a Dead 5 this morning with the forecast of only a few late showers today with a top temperature of 21 degrees.
