The lure of Sydney’s big prizemoney races has proven a temptation too strong to resist for trainer Jason Warren and his classy mare Benedetta.
The Group 3 winner travelled up from Victoria last week and blew out the cobwebs with a stylish barrier trial at Randwick on Friday, finishing third behind Insurrection and Everest hopeful Private Eye.
Warren confirmed Benedetta would run at Randwick on Everest day in either the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) or the $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) as connections weigh up the best path to take.
“We’re either going to run in a $1 million race or a $2 million race and we were at Flemington last start in a $300,000 race,” Warren said.
“It’s a big difference and the strength of the races is not much different.
“From there we’ve got options. We’ve got The Invitation, mares, 1400 (metres) which is two weeks later, or the Golden Eagle three weeks later.
“I think she’s looking for a little bit further now so the 1300 Silver Eagle will be perfect into the Golden Eagle hopefully.”
Benedetta has won six of her nine starts in Victoria and will be making her Sydney debut at Randwick.
After resuming with a first-up win over 1100m at Flemington in August, she claimed the scalp of Godolphin’s Parisal in the Cockram Stakes (1200m) before making ground when third to the in-form Star Patrol in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) last start.
It was that effort that convinced Warren the mare was ready to stretch out in distance and be given an opportunity to showcase her wares for a shot at the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) on November 4.
“We’ve kept it on the radar all the way through and we’ve just waited until she has told us she’s ready to go beyond 1200,” Warren said.
“I think she showed us that last start.”