A small but class field of potential Coolmore Classic-bound mares face off at Warwick Farm this weekend in the 2018 Breeders Classic field including the returning Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Prompt Response.
Prompt Response returns to racing on Saturday at Warwick Farm in the 2018 Breeders Classic field. Photo: Steve Hart.
Due to run as Warwick Farm Race 7 at 4:25pm (AEDT), this autumn’s Group 2 $200,000 Yarraman Park Breeders Classic (1200m) features nine runners.
Drawn well in gate two with Blake Shinn booked for the first-up ride is one of the sure-to-be favourites in Breeders Classic betting, Beneteau four-year-old Prompt Response.
Chasing her first win since the Group 2 Dane Ripper Quality (1350m) at Doomben in June last year, Prompt Response was also runner-up in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1350m) that winter.
Her spring finished off on a solid note with back-to-back fourths at Flemington on successive Saturdays during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, including behind Shoals in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m).
Prompt Response has trialled twice at Randwick since ahead of the Breeders Classic and looks ready to fire fresh on the weekend.
Also returning in the Slightly Sweet who is on way to the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 17.
A six-year-old daughter of Charge Forward, Slightly Sweet has had a lengthy spell going back to July last year but has had three summer trials.
The dual Group 3 winner’s latest hit-out was over 1000m at the Warwick Farm track on February 1 when third, only a quarter-length behind the winner Testashadow.
Local Warwick Farm horseman Coyle has also accepted for stablemate Memes who is third-up from the outside barrier (9) with apprentice Rachel King in the saddle.
A first-up winner of Randwick’s summer Sprint (1000m), the Time Thief four-year-old is on the quick back-up and out to atone for her dead last when sixth to Trapeze Artist in last weekend’s Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
Along with Prompt Response, the other highest-rated mares in the Breeders Classic line-up are the Bjorn Baker-trained duo of Egyptian Symbol and Bonny O’Reilly.
Five-year-old Stratum mare Egyptian Symbol was runner-up behind In Her Time in last year’s Breeders Classic results, run at Randwick, and comes into this year’s race in similar form.
She won the Starlight Stakes (1100) at Rosehill in the wet back in early December before a lead-up third at the Gold Coast on January 13 behind Viddora in the $1 million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m).
Stablemate Bonny O’Reilly has Tim Clark riding first-up on the weekend, the 1200m specialist (6:4-0-0) looking to atone for her last start ninth to last year’s Breeders Classic winner In Her Time in the Listed Sydney Stakes (1200m) back in October.
Check out the official Breeders Classic 2018 field and barriers below with markets on the clash to open shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2018 Breeders Classic Final Field & Barrier Draw
Warwick Farm Race 7 (4:25pm) – 10/02/2018
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 212x50344x | PROMPT RESPONSE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Blake Shinn | 2 | 56kg | 103 |
| 2 | 62x5278x13 | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | Bjorn Baker | Jason Collett | 6 | 55kg | 103 |
| 3 | 5070x7490x | DANISH TWIST | Kris Lees | Glyn Schofield | 1 | 55kg | 101 |
| 4 | 1130x1569x | BONNY O’REILLY (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Tim Clark | 8 | 54kg | 102 |
| 5 | 05x074313x | SLIGHTLY SWEET | Jason Coyle | Ms Jess Taylor | 7 | 54kg | 96 |
| 6 | 1311216×16 | MEMES | Jason Coyle | Ms Rachel King (a) | 9 | 54kg | 95 |
| 7 | 8523x444x1 | FARAWAY TOWN | Matthew Smith | TBA | 5 | 54kg | 79 |
| 8 | 214x42x131 | TSWALU | David Pfieffer | Corey Brown | 4 | 54kg | 75 |
| 9 | 631x | NETTOYER | Wendy Roche | TBA | 3 | 54kg | 67 |
