By Ray Hickson
If promising filly French Bonnet takes the rise to city company in her stride at Warwick Farm on Wednesday trainer Kim Waugh will know she has a talent on her hands.
It’s hard not to be taken by the three-year-old's impressive wins at Newcastle and Gosford and Waugh said the Frosted @ Darley Handicap (1400m) is a logical step on the way to, hopefully, something better.
“I’m hoping she can be a very good filly. She’s doing all the right things and she’s very nicely bred, bred to get over ground, and has a great turn of foot over short distances,’’ Waugh said.
“So if she can get over ground like we think she will I think she could be pretty good. But they have to do it and this will be another test for her.”
Waugh said black type targets are certainly worth considering for a three-year-old filly heading into the autumn carnival but at the moment we’re still talking about trying to win a midweek race and a young horse with only three starts against her name.
The Wyong trainer already has Great News and Bethencourt being prepared for the Polytrack Provincial Championships and French Bonnet is certainly eligible to join them.
“The Championships is one option or we could go to a couple of the nice fillies races, we’ll see how she comes through this week,’’ she said.
French Bonnet wins at Gosford on January 27
“I think she can go a bit further and get to the better races.
“But when they are only lightly raced sometimes they can have enough and stop and if that happens we’ll stop with her.”
French Bonnet, $3.60 favourite with TAB on Tuesday, led all the way to post her maiden win at Newcastle then up in class at Gosford she was able to park in a trailing position and put her rivals away.
Brenton Avdulla, who rode the filly on debut, is back on board at the Farm and Waugh expects rising to the 1400m will only suit her.
“It was great to see her come back and settle in behind, she settled beautifully, and Tommy (Berry) said she felt great and did everything well,’’ she said.
“But he said she’s still new and still learning. I’m very happy with her, she’s working well and pulled up well after last start.”
A return to form by Celer in his two runs back from a spell has Waugh hopeful he can break a run of outs stretching back to July 2019 in the Vinery Stud Handicap (1200m).
The six-year-old chased home Vreneli first-up then just found He’s A Hotshot a shade too strong on Australia Day, both over the 1200m at Warwick Farm.
Waugh has elected to use Tom Sherry’s 2kg claim on Wednesday so he’ll drop that amount on what he’s carried in his two recent attempts.
“His two runs back have been great, he’s going better than ever,’’ Waugh said.
“He’s a happy horse and eating well and working great, we’re hoping he can go one better.”
All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting