WARNING ON A MISSION
SPANISH Mission will need to run past Warning to win Saturday’s $750,000 Group 2 Herald Sun Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield.
Warning led all the way to claim the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) on Stakes Day at Flemington and co-trainer Sam Freedman indicated similar tactics would be deployed on Saturday.
Spanish Mission, who ran a gallant third in the Melbourne Cup, has been a firm $1.50 favourite with TAB for the Zipping Classic – in from $1.60 when markets opened on Wednesday.
Warning equally has not budged as a $5 second elect.
“I’d definitely say Spanish Mission has got the form, I think the market might have it (right),” Freedman said.
“The Melbourne Cup can be quite taxing, seen plenty of imports run a very good race first-up off the plane and then they can sometimes regress.
“But look, if that horse (Spanish Mission) turns up at his best well, then we probably are racing for second.
“Our horse is in terrific form, we couldn’t be happier with him, and we’re there to give him a run for his money.”
After a brilliant three-yearold spring, culminating in Group 1 Victoria Derby victory, Warning found the rise in class, competing against Australia‘s best stayers, a steep learning curve.
A rating slide, allowing Warning to compete in lesser calibre races, combined with a European-style rolling campaign has seemingly brought the best out of the Declaration Of War gelding.
Warning has effectively been “in work” since pulling up with an issue from the Australian Cup in March.
A breakthrough win in Queensland in May – Warning’s first since November 2019 – and “working holiday” subsequently bolstered the tank further.
“These stayers take a little while to get them fit and then you get them fit and tip them out and start from scratch again and you’ve got to build up their fitness,” Freedman said. “Sometimes, as these stayers get a bit older their actions get better the deeper into a preparation.
“It’d be a little bit like an older footballer who has a season off and doesn’t do anything, it’s going to take a long time to get back to their best the next season.
“It’s a testament to the horse … not many Derby winners get better as they get older and I think he probably is, he’s really in career-best form probably at the moment.”