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Needs to go back to number if wins current system just not fair when 15 win horses race maiden winners 

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Unbeaten two-year-old colt Warwoven (Sword of State) will be back at the races for the first time since the beginning of January when he lines up in the Gr.2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday for trainer Bjorn Baker. An impressive winner of his first two starts, Warwoven was hot favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO (1200m) but was deemed unfit to start on raceday morning. “Any athlete going to any sports competition, there is always a fine line between being 100 percent healthy but doing the work to get there,” Baker said. “We were very comfortable with him running but the Racing Queensland vets and stewards weren’t and that is that grey area, that is that fine line. “I’m happy to report that he couldn’t be moving any better at the moment and we’re thrilled with how he has done. It is character building this game. You have got to take the good with the bad and those are the rules. We look forward, not back.” The son of promising Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State remains $6 favourite for the Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on March 21 despite his absence from the track and he resumes on Saturday without a trial. “He’s been kept up to the mark, he didn’t lose a lot of residual fitness,’’ Baker said. “He was ready to go only about five or six weeks ago. He’s had a few good gallops and I’m happy with him.” With rain forecast on Saturday at Randwick, Baker said he is hopeful Warwoven will get through any rain-affected conditions from barrier one. “On his pedigree, he is a good chance to get through the track being out of a good Makfi mare,” Baker said. “On the Tuesday before the Magic Millions, he actually galloped really well on a track with a fair bit of give. “I suppose barrier one is the quickest way home, but whether that’s a positive or a negative, you don’t really know until raceday. “There is a bit of pressure and a few nerves, but after his gallop on Tuesday and last week, I couldn’t be happier with him. “He’s a good sized laidback horse with a great attitude, and he has that natural speed, so he can probably put himself right there. “If he does have to get out and they are fanning across, he will be able to do that too. I think with his speed ability, he should be able to create space and that will be key, on what could be a demanding track.” Warwoven is likely to head straight to the Golden Slipper pending a good run on Saturday, with stablemate Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) having to win next week’s Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick to force his way in. An impressive trial winner earlier in the week, Paradoxium is 75th in the order of entry for the Slipper. “Warwoven is in the Slipper already, whereas Paradoxium won a Magic Millions race at Wyong and the prizemoney doesn’t count towards the Golden Slipper,” Baker said. “He is going to have to win next week more than likely to make the Golden Slipper. “They’re both very exciting and in terms of which one is better, I guess time will tell. “My gut feeling is that Paradoxium will be better over the shorter trips and Warwoven possibly over a touch longer. The question is where is that line. Is it at 1200m, is it under or is it beyond. I’d love to see them in a Slipper against each other at 1200m.” View the full article

Joe Pride concedes Ceolwulf probably can’t beat Autumn Glow this weekend – unless Randwick is hit with a deluge of rain. Sydney’s weather will determine if Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) has any chance of toppling glamour mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in the Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick, according to his trainer Joseph Pride. Autumn Glow is a prohibitive $1.30 favourite to extend her unbeaten sequence to 10 on Saturday, and Pride concedes it’s a deserved quote. His one caveat is if the upper end of the wide-ranging prediction of rain falls, declaring Ceolwulf some hope to upset the apple cart if the track becomes significantly wet. “I’m not even thinking about winning chances because honestly, if that mare shows up with what she did the other day, you’re probably not going to beat her at this stage of the preparation for us, with no blinkers and so early on,” Pride said. “His best chance of running really well would be if the track is wet, so I’ve got my eye on that. “That’s probably what punters want to hear from me, ‘is there a chance your horse could win? Well yes, but it would have to be wet, I would think’.” There is some relief for Pride in the simple fact Ceolwulf is lining up at Randwick. He missed the Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) last year due to a setback, and two weeks ago his autumn looked over when he returned to scale with blood in his nostrils following the Apollo Stakes (1400m), a condition that usually incurs an automatic three-month ban. However, a subsequent scope showed no traces of blood in Ceolwulf’s lungs or throat, and it was surmised the horse didn’t suffer an internal bleed but rather something akin to a burst blood vessel in his nose. Stewards gave him the green light to continue his preparation, and Pride said the horse hadn’t missed a beat. “As soon as I scoped him, I felt like he was entitled to be here, but going back to two weeks ago when I saw him post-race, it is a massive relief,” Pride said. “He didn’t miss a walk. He missed nothing.” Ceolwulf has won three races over the Randwick mile, all at Group 1 level, but given he improves deeper into his campaign, Pride will be happy if he finishes in the first few on Saturday. “Hopefully the first four or five and I’ll be happy. That will be box ticked going forward and I’ll know that he is on track. But I’m very happy with him.” View the full article