Winter and spring hopes collide in fascinating Missile clash
By Chris Roots
It’s the traditional opener to the new season in Sydney, but this year’s Missile Stakes (1200m) is a split between those looking to open up a glorious spring and those out to add to a bountiful winter.
Trainer Peter Snowden has Ka Bling looking stepping up in the group 2 at Randwick on Saturday is off a Ramornie Handicap victory at Grafton.
Schwarz dashes clear to take out the Hawkesbury Guineas in May.Credit: Getty
Meanwhile, John O’Shea has Hawkesbury Guineas winner Schwarz, which has carried the weight of expectation since leaving the sales ring with $1.25 million price tag, kicking off his preparation as the $2 favourite in a grade that has seemed his destiny.
“It’s a starting point for him and he is giving up race fitness to few others on Saturday,” O’Shea observed. “It’s a good test for him, but he will get better as he steps up in trip.”
The lightly raced Schwarz started his career by winning a Gosford maiden last October, and all three of his wins have come as favourite in his seven-start career.
“He has always been very sound since missing his two-year-old year with a little issue, and we have been careful with how we have placed him,” O’Shea said.
“When you miss that two-year-old season, you are always a preparation behind everyone else, and we have just about caught up now as a four-year-old.
“He had a trial where he was very fresh, and we get James McDonald to ride on weekend, which is always a big advantage, but he’s going to step off this run into the spring.”
Schwarz led home Mumbai Muse and Australian Guineas winner Southport Tycoon in a free-running barrier trial win at Warwick Farm a couple of weeks ago that signalled he was ready for the spring after he failed at Eagle Farm in the Fred Best Quality at his last appearance.
“It is a good race for him considering the conditions, and will help him build into the preparation, which could be his best so far,” O’Shea said.
Schwarz is joined in the resuming brigade by million-dollar earner Loch Eagle, which usually finds his best at the mile, and Arctic Glamour, which will love the firmer conditions at Randwick.
Arctic Glamour wins the Reginald Allen Stakes on firm track at Randwick.Credit: Getty
“She doesn’t like any give in the track and to get a good track for her first-up is important,” co-trainer Stirling Alexiou said. “We have opted to go here rather than a second trial, and I think she is going to be very strong late in a race where there looks to be plenty of speed.”
The Face and Much Much Better will ensure a fast tempo in the Missile, which might bring race fitness into sharp focus – an advantage Ka Bling has as he faces his biggest test.
Snowden brings Ka Bling to the Missile with a solid fitness base after three runs, which included a last-start Ramornie victory using his style of sitting back and coming home with a late charge.
“I wouldn’t say he is a group 2 horse, but he is in the right race to get one here,” Snowden said. “He is a horse we bought at the sales, and he has just got better with every preparation, and as a six-year-old he is going the best he has gone.
“We have an advantage that he is up and going, and under the conditions of the race he gets in very well.
“We had a plan to be here, but he had to perform, and he has done that. The Ramornie win was the best of his career.
“When you have that fitness edge, it can be the difference at beating some of the better ones that are coming back.”
Warwick Farm’s Bjorn Baker is another trainer taking a shot at getting black type with Shezanalister, a first-up winner before being caught on the wrong part of a heavy track when fourth behind Fleetwood last time.
“It is important to get stakes wins with a well-bred mare like her. It was something I thought she would do this preparation but it has come a bit earlier than I thought,” Baker said. “There is an opportunity for her on the weekend and she is going really well.
“If she can’t win but can a place, that would be massive for residual value going forward, and she is certainly up to this sort of race.”
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