Spring options open for John O’Shea’s smart prospect Schwarz ahead of Group 2 Missile Stakes

Despite a betting move that saw his The Everest odds slashed from $101 to $31, trainer John O’Shea insists a light spring campaign is ahead for Schwarz ... starting with Saturday’s Missile Stakes at Randwick.

Trainer John O’Shea is keeping an open mind about his spring aim for Schwarz but his stallion prospect could help paint a clearer picture in his highly-anticipated return at Royal Randwick this Saturday.

Schwarz will be the horse to beat in this week’s Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) where O’Shea and new training partner Tom Charlton will chase a maiden stakes win together.

The smart son of Zoustar is already twice a stakes winner, including capturing the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas in impressive fashion last preparation.

🖤 Schwarz leads all the way in the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas, giving @mcacajamez a treble!@[e-mail]/nnQ7Mqrw1n

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 4, 2024

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O’Shea is ready to raise the bar higher this spring with no shortage of options, including at Group 1 level, available to Schwarz following his first-up tilt in the Missile Stakes.

“He’s a very nice colt and a stallion prospect but he is a horse that missed his two-year-old season and we’ve been gradually catching up,” O’Shea said.

“Saturday is a good race for him but he has a poor (outside) gate in what looks to be a fast run race.

“If he can get the job done there are options going forward for him that we will consider but where we go will be dependent on Saturday’s performance.”

A recent TAB betting move saw Schwarz slashed from $101 to $31 for The Everest but O’Shea insisted the stable was taking things one step at a time.

Trainer John O'Shea has high hopes for Schwarz. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

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O’Shea conceded it was more likely Schwarz would have a light spring campaign – even if a Group 1 tilt remains on the radar.

Among the options is a date with the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.

“Ideally I would like to take the horse to Caulfield because his racing pattern and his record says that 1400m is perfect for him,” O’Shea said.

“If it’s not the Memsie in the spring, there is the Orr in the autumn so there is a number of options for him and we may be inclined to give him a light spring so we are up and going nice and early in the autumn.

“It’s all about what he can achieve and we will see what happens Saturday.”

Schwarz’s first up assignment was made tougher when the lightly-raced sprinter drew the outside gate in a field that was reduced to 10 runners on Thursday.

To be ridden by James McDonald, the four-year-old heads into the race in excellent condition, winning his only trial in the lead up after a short break following one Queensland winter carnival run on an unsuitable wet track.

Our Hawkesbury Guineas winning colt Schwarz (Zoustar x Summer Sham) had an impressive first trial at Warwick Farm under @mcacajamez in a very strong heat💪

Bring on the spring! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PaaWGuIlwW

— O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) July 25, 2024

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“We are very happy with him and he’s got a good base of fitness coming out of the Queensland winter,” O’Shea said.

“He has nice improvement but has done enough to be competitive at that level.”

TAB installed Schwarz as a clear favourite in Missile Stakes ‘All In’ betting and he remains a $2.20 elect in the final field against the likes of Arctic Glamour ($5.50), Semillion ($6) and Shezanalister ($6.50).

O’Shea and Charlton also accepted with Junqueira in the Missile Stakes but scratched the mare in favour of running in the James Squire Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m), in which she has a superior draw in barrier four.

Junqueira ($6.50) is unplaced in three runs this preparation but O’Shea was confident she was going better than the form guide suggested.

“Junqueira has had a myriad of poor gates and wet tracks haven’t really helped her.

“She wasn’t too far off the other day and comes in nice with Zac Wadick’s 3kg claim.

“She has done well.”

Junqueira has been scratched from the Missile Stakes for an easier assignment. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

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The highly promising Getafix is another O’Shea and Charlton-trained spring contender but the stable was still debating if he’d run in this weekend’s Inglis Yearling Entries Close 16 Aug Benchmark 72 (1400m).

Being drawn one from the outside could see the $4.80 chance saved for another day.

“I am not committing to running him yet because that’s a terrible gate,” O’Shea said.

“It would be nice to draw a gate where he could have dropped in behind them.

“It looks very messy and there is a big chance we save him for the following Saturday.”

Stablemates Awesome Wonder ($14) and King Of Naples ($8.50) are both expected to run well in their respective assignments.

Originally published as Spring options open for John O’Shea’s smart prospect Schwarz ahead of Group 2 Missile Stakes