The Gai Waterhouse-trained Our Desert Warrior is expected to kick off his latest campaign in winning fashion at Randwick on Saturday.
Our Desert Warrior returns off an excellent four start preparation earlier in the season where he went from winning a no metro win event to a Group 2 placing over the course of three starts.
His will to win was on display right throughout that preparation and now finds a race where such an attribute is lacking.
The Nelune Foundation Benchmark 85 Handicap (1400m) is an event which appears well short on depth and includes five runners who haven’t won a race in well over a year.
Two more are closing in on a 12 month winning drought and Our Desert Warrior’s main danger appears to be stablemate Almighty Charge.
Our Desert Warrior is showing all the right signs so far this campaign and resumes off a pair of most encouraging Randwick trial wins.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse has a strong hand to play in this contest where Our Desert Warrior should sit outside stablemate and likely pacesetter Almighty Charge.
The race will be run to suit the four-year-old who should showcase the promise he’s already displayed so far this season with a first up win.
Our Desert Warrior’s name was mentioned as a lightweight Epsom hope earlier in the season and seeing him contest Group 1 races later this spring would come as no surprise.
While main rivals on Saturday do possess a fitness edge over him, they are strictly off season types and Our Desert Warrior should have the measure of this opposition.
He is unbeaten first up from two prior outings, both of which came over 1500m plus.
A full brother to six time Group 1 winner Desert War, there is a buzz about for his younger brother who is expected to fire fresh on Saturday.
Another who can produce a first up victory is the Joe Pride-trained Rain Affair in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m).
Rain Affair has been a noticeable drifter in betting with all the early money coming for the talented Boban.
Boban is a very exciting autumn prospect after going unbeaten through the spring claiming both the Epsom Handicap and Emirates Stakes, a rare double last achieved by Chanteclair in 1986.
Connections are aiming the four-year-old at thecGroup 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in April and trainer Chris Waller has openly admitted Boban isn’t ‘wound up’ for Saturday’s Expressway Stakes.
Something similar can be said for a number of runners in the Expressway Stakes who have autumn goals over a mile and beyond.
Track, distance and first up credentials all suggest Rain Affair will be ready to go on Saturday and now at each way odds, looks a worthwhile wager.
Rain Affair has been given a pair of trials in readiness for this and is expected to take plenty of catching.
The gelding has won three of his six first up outings, the latest a 5.5 length victory in the 2013 Missile Stakes at this course and distance earlier in the season.
While Rain Affair is more comfortable on softer footing, his record on Good and Dead surfaces is still solid.
Watch for the Joe Pride speed machine to roll across from barrier 9 and dictate terms.
There could be some nervous moments late as the son of Commands gets tired and late challengers arrive on the scene but at each way odds, is worth considering.
Dream Forward takes on the older mares for the first time in the Gifts.com.au Benchmark 80 Handicap (1300m).
The Charge Forward filly showed good improvement second up at this track last start when almost upstaging the promising colt Woodbine.
The winner has since franked the form out of the race and there is a sense of timing to Dream Forward third run from a spell.
She goes into the final race of the day at Randwick as favourite but does seemingly hit a wide open contest.
A number of mares in the contest such as Prettyfamous, Caprossa, Breakfast In Bed, Recoinage and Pillow Talk are all racing well while dual stakes placegetter Unimpeachable resumes in what looks a most suitable race for her.
Expect Dream Forward to be prominent throughout however that final furlong could prove telling.
Sydney Specials
Banker: R5, #3 Our Desert Warrior @ $2.50
Play Of The Day: R6, #2 Rain Affair @ $5.00Lay Of The Day: R8, #9 Dream Forward @ $3.80
