Group 1-winning trainer Jason Warren has strong hopes in four SA races on Saturday and Monday
Victorian trainer Jason Warren is bullish he can make his presence felt in South Australian over the Adelaide Cup long weekend.
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Mornington trainer Jason Warren is bullish he can make his presence felt over the Adelaide Cup long weekend.
Warren prepares favourite Celtic Thunder for Saturday’s $202,250 Magic Millions 2YO Classic at Murray Bridge, along with smart stayer Grand Pierro in Monday’s Adelaide Cup.
The Group 1-winning trainer has four chances venturing to SA, with Gawnski (Saturday) and Stardealt (Monday) also set to jump at single-digit odds.
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While Celtic Thunder is yet to debut, Warren is excited by the son of Exceedance ahead of Saturday.
“He has had three trials and looked very good in all of them,” Warren said.
“We targeted this race for him, with such a lovely restriction of Magic Millions 2YO’s only.
“It was nice to see the scratching of Gin Spirit – it opens the race right up.”
Celtic Thunder is a $4 favourite with Sportsbet for the 2YO Classic (1100m), with Todd Pannell booked to ride.
“We’ve got a great rider in the saddle, I’ve had a lot of luck with Todd,” he said.
“Our horse has shown that he is well above average.”
Murray Bridge hosts a ten-race card on Saturday’s Magic Millions meeting, including the $122,250 3 & 4YO Classic (1200m).
Grand Pierro powers home to take out the 2025 Bagot Handicap 🔥@WarrenRacing@lil_spaino96pic.twitter.com/uXNo9R3i9y
— Racing.com (@Racing) January 1, 2025
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Grand Pierro drew gate four at Friday’s Adelaide Cup barrier draw, the Pierro gelding was an eye-catching run in the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes, finishing fifth.
“It (barrier) increases our chance of getting an economical run and I think it means we will be even harder to beat,” he said.
“The barrier forced our hand to ride him quiet last time (Lord Reims), it’s probably a good result in hindsight that he wasn’t able to quite get there.
“Even though we were trying to win the Lord Reims, he didn’t pick up a penalty on the way to the Cup, he’s already carrying 58kg.”
Grand Pierro will be ridden by Zac Spain in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m), and is a $13 hope.
“Taramansour is the horse to beat, he’s very well weighted, obviously Gotta Go Guru is still on the way up, but this is the next level,” he said.
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Last year’s Cup saw Grand Pierro receive a laceration to the leg, before fading out to finish a long last.
Warren is confident he’s in much better shape for a two-mile tilt in Adelaide this time around.
“He ran right through the line in the Bagot (Handicap) over 2800m, his data suggests to us that he’ll run the distance no problem,” Warren said.
“He had his final gallop on the course proper at Morphettville on Thursday, I thought his work was first class.
“Last year we came across to Adelaide after a long preparation, (including) two runs in Hobart and Launceston.
“It was one bridge too far, so you can comfortably put a line through his run that day.”
Originally published as Group 1-winning trainer Jason Warren has strong hopes in four SA races on Saturday and Monday
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