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By Ray Hickson

It'll be a matter of when, not if, exciting four-year-old Schwarz gets his chance at a Group 1 if he runs up to expectation at Randwick on Saturday.

Tom Charlton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have long held the entire in high regard and his performance in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Missile Stakes (1200m) holds more importance for his spring preparation than the race's status ever will.

Charlton said it’s no secret connections are eyeing a Group 1 win for the son of Zoustar and while the outside barrier presents a challenge for the horse and James McDonald in the Missile Stakes he feels Schwarz has what it takes to overcome it.

“If he can run well it does set him up well for a race at the top level,’’ Charlton said.

“He’s got improvement going forward, his pet trip might end up being 1400m but it’s a winnable race and we’d expect him to be very competitive.

“He enjoys getting into a rhythm, I think he’s better favoured being out there and being able to do that as you saw him do in the barrier trial the other day.

“James knows him well, there does look a bit of speed inside him so we’ll just have to see it unfold.”

Schwarz, $2.20 with TAB on Thursday, was a stakes winner at Flemington last spring and stamped his promise with a runaway victory in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas.

A bid to get into the Stradbroke didn’t come off when he was well beaten in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic on June 1 but Charlton said it was a race that didn’t work out at all from the moment he was a shade slowly away.

“He had a good preparation, bar the Fred Best where everything went wrong and he was unlucky not to have a good shot in the Arrowfield,’’ he said.

“Considering he’s just turned four he’s reasonably lightly raced.

“He missed nearly his whole two-year-old season with an annoying little setback so it’s all happened quite quickly. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him.

“He’s progressing, evidenced by his trial the other day and James’ feedback he’s furnishing into an improved racehorse. It’s important that he can show something on Saturday.”

Charlton and O’Shea elected to scratch Junqueira from the Missile in favour of the James Squire Handicap (1200m) and Charlton said it’s a good opportunity for the mare to break a run of outs.

The five-year-old hit the lead momentarily last start at Rosehill but a tough early run told on her and she weakened to run fourth behind Llanddwyn.

A 3kg claim for Zac Wadick and an inside draw are in Junqueira’s favour on Saturday.

“She’s been going really well, sometimes her nemesis can be that she can just step a little slowly,’’ Charlton said.

“He had to use her a bit early and once he got her into a good position the race was developing again and she got found out a bit late.

“It’ll be important if she can save a bit of ground at the start. With a bit of weight relief with a good young claimer she looks pretty well placed.”

Schwarz wins a trial at Warwick Farm on July 26

Tom Charlton on Getafix (race 3): “It was a good run first-up and I think it will turn out to be a good race. He’s going to appreciate getting to 1400m and probably further. He hasn’t drawn ideally, there is an option to run in a 1300m three-year-old race next Saturday.”

On Awesome Wonder (race 4): “She looks to have drawn well and if she can have a few things go her way she’s well up to winning a race like that.”

On King Of Naples (race 10): “He’s been knocking on the door without much luck. If he can get a better scenario in the run he’s definitely ready to win. He just needs a few things to go his way, he gets the blinkers on, and he can be effective."

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting