Warnie in winning form for Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes tilt
The racehorse version of Warnie that trainer Ciaron Maher has always hoped for has emerged as a leading contender for the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Having his second run since a Brisbane winter campaign, Warnie ($3.70) underlined his claims for an important spring target in winning the Group 3 Chautauqua Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on Wednesday.
“He’s always a horse that we’ve held in high regard, but it took a little while to get there when he was a colt,” assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said.
“He was a horse that was always very full in the bridle and used to be strong, both at home and on race day.
“When he reserves himself in the first half of the race, he has that turn of foot in the second half.”
That was evident at Sandown. After settling at the back of the seven-horse field in a genuinely run race, Warnie made his run down the outside under Mark Zahra before scoring a 1.25-length win.
He defeated stablemate Tennessee Bound and the Grahame Begg-trained Amenable.
The $1 million Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes will be run at Caulfield on September 19.
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