‘Quite forward’ – Napoleonic ready for first-up Missile target

Napoleonic will be given the chance to prove he is a Group 1 horse this spring when he resumes in Saturday’s Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, where trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton expect to learn where the four-year-old son of Wootton Bassett fits among the elite.

A Group 3 winner last spring, Napoleonic rounded out his three-year-old season with three Group 1 starts, including a placing in the Doomben 10,000, before returning with two lead-up trials.

“He’s clearly a talented horse and if he can improve again, and there’s no reason he can’t, it puts him in the mix,’’ Charlton told Racing NSW.

“He didn’t have long off so he’s quite forward for this assignment. It’s probably an above average Missile Stakes but there’s no reason why he can’t be very competitive.”

Chad Schofield takes over from the suspended Zac Lloyd,

“We haven’t got any firm plans leading into the remainder of the spring but this is a race we thought he’d be competitive in at Group 2 level,’’ Charlton said.

“There looks to be a few bits of speed in the race so hopefully every horse gets its chance.”