The Group 3 Warragul St Leger series (460m) has produced myriad esteemed winners. It’s perennially been a ‘stepping-stone’ to superstar status!
Last year, we witnessed Aston Fastnet defeat G1 Melbourne Cup winner Koblenz. Dual G1 winner Qwara Bale finished fourth.
And this year’s series, which kicks off with four exciting heats on Friday night, promises to live up to the St Leger’s historical lofty heights.
For starters, they comprise Gippsland pin-up Mr. Audacious ($1.45) in Heat 4; Maturity Classic finalist Plaintiff ($1.60) in Heat 2; Maturity Classic third place-getter Kelsey Bale ($2.40) in Heat 3; and new kid on the block Ride The Thunder ($2.70) in Heat 1.
Amazingly, ‘Team Gibbons’ – former pro wrestlers Daniel and Rebecca – have a ‘magnificent seven’ heat aspirants as they attempt to ultimately break their Group race ‘hoodoo’.
Click HERE for the latest Warragul St Leger heats market
Below is a summary of the heats:
Heat 1 (Race 7 – 9.21pm)
Somewhat a pick-it-with-a-pin affair between Ride The Thunder (Box 1), which has won three from five including two of his past four at Sandown Park (29.31sec & 29.41sec), and Gibbons’ duo McKeon Bale (Box 2) – third in the G3 Ladies Bracelet and 10 from 24 – and serious prospect Yahiro Bale (Box 8) which has won seven from 14.
Heat 2 (Race 8 – 9.40pm)
Champion trainer Jason Thompson, who is eyeing back-to-back St Leger wins, dominates proceedings with Plaintiff (Box 8) which finished fifth to ‘wonder woman’ Wow She’s Fast in the Maturity Classic. He won the G3 Vic Bred Maiden on Australian Cup night and was runner-up – again to Wow She’s Fast – in the G3 Launching Pad. He’s won eight from 17
WATCH: MR. AUDACIOUS (B6) defeats ROBBIE ROTTEN (B8) in his track record-breaking Shepparton Cup heat win on March 14.
Heat 3 (Race 9 – 10.01pm)
Another even affair, but littermates Kelsey Bale (Box 1) and Quinlan Bale (Box 4) look the testing material. Kelsey Bale, which is seven from 26, was gallant in the Maturity Classic while Quinlan Bale, nine from 21, was a finalist in the G3 Bob Payne Sprint and G3 Mount Gambier Cup. Both are in the ‘Team Gibbons’ camp.
Heat 4 (Race 10 – 10.20pm)
Once dubbed the “next big thing”, Mr. Audacious (Box 8) – resuming from an enforced lay-off – appears to have a mortgage on this race. The Shepparton 450m track record holder (24.655sec) is 10 from 13 and finished fifth in the G2 Shepparton Cup. He was a shock scratching from the G2 Ballarat Cup after setting the heats time standard. His rivals will need to be at their ‘audacious’ best to topple him!
NB. Two heats of the Simon Benson Memorial (460m) – featuring On The Bit and Dynamic Prince – will also be conducted on the program.
Pawnote: The Group 3 Warragul St Leger final (460m), which carries a $25,000 winner’s cheque, will be decided on Friday, August 5.
