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The Bostonian gets ideal draw; Winx a moment of truth for Brandenburg

The Bostonian gets ideal draw

Multiple Group One winner The Bostonian  has drawn the ace barrier for Saturday's Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m).

Trainer Tony Pike couldn't be happier with the way the draw panned out saying the inside gate will be a distinct advantage for the six-year-old son of Jimmy Choux.

"It is a huge advantage," Pike said. "The rail drops back to the true at Randwick on Saturday.

"He is a horse that loves to follow that running rail, as he showed in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr.1, 1300m). Some of the better chances have drawn wide so he should get a lovely trip right in behind the speed on the rail."

With the Randwick track rated a Heavy8 on Wednesday, and no further rain predicted, Pike has few concerns about the track condition.

"It is a reasonably drying week too, so it shouldn't be too testing on Saturday," he said. "We probably want give in the ground but not a heavy track first-up over 1400m so conditions should be ideal for him.

"With that fresh-up record he has got he should be a genuine winning chance again."

Winx a moment of truth for Brandenburg

The first Group One race of the season will be a campaign-defining moment for Brandenburg, who will be tested against 10 Group One winners.

A full field of 16 will contest the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, including some of the early favourites for the biggest races of the spring.

Trainer John Sargent is happy to flush out exactly where Brandenburg fits into the mix but admits there is no slow road to discovery given the strength and depth of Saturday's field.

"He will take his part in it and he's ready to go. It is front up now because there is no hiding," Sargent said.

"From three to four, they've got to develop. Big money has been turned down for him to go to Hong Kong because the owners want to race him, money isn't their objective.

"But hopefully this will vindicate keeping him."

A Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) winner first-up as a three-year-old, Brandenburg has been Group One placed in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and against older horses in the Doncaster Mile (1600m).

Sargent said he has matured significantly into his four-year-old season and the trainer believes now is the time to extend him out to a middle distance.

The Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), Golden Eagle (1500m) and Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) are all on the table and how Brandenburg performs in the Winx Stakes will go a long way to determining his spring path.

"He's a horse I think will eventually get out to 2000m this season," Sargent said.

"This is a good kicking-off point and we'll assess where we go from here, whether we stay on the Golden Eagle path or go up to a mile straight away.

"He's got to step up against the older horses now but he is ready to go."

Brandenburg had his final gallop on the Kensington track on Wednesday, working stylishly over 1000m with race jockey Rachel King aboard.

He has drawn barrier 12, immediately outside Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) favourite Master Of Wine.

Fourteen horses in the Winx Stakes field of 16 plus two emergencies are resuming, headed by multiple Group One winner Verry Elleegant.