Stuart Kendrick confident Redford can bowl out Warnie in Glasshouse Handicap at Sunshine Coast

Trainer Stuart Kendrick is quietly confident that Redford can produce an upset on his home track against highly-fancied import Warnie in the Glasshouse Handicap.

He’s the $1m gelding who must bowl over warm favourite Warnie to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m), although trainer Stuart Kendrick is quietly confident Redford can put his rivals in a spin on his home track on Saturday.

Bookmakers have rated four-year-old gelding Redford as a $16 chance in the Glasshouse, with the Ciaron Maher-trained Warnie the $2.90 favourite ahead of cult gelding The Inflictor ($4.80) and soft-track specialist Far Too Easy ($7.50).

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“If he can find his feet, get a little bit of space and then wind up, that’s when he’s at his best,” Sunshine Coast trainer Kendrick said on Friday about Redford.

“He’s got a good record here (3:2-1-0) and I think the track suits him. He’s not an overly big horse so a drop in the weights is definitely going to help us.

“With the awkward gate (11 of 13) he’ll probably go back and with a light weight, it gives him a chance to really hit the line strongly.”

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Kendrick is wary about quality import Warnie, a Listed winner in Ireland, who he thinks will also be suited to the spacious Sunshine Coast track, which is likely to be in the Soft 6 range on Saturday.

“He looked out of his comfort zone at Ipswich the other day (fifth in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes over 1350m) and this track will suit him where he can find his feet, wind up and have the last crack at them,” Kendrick said.

“Going on his run two races ago (third in the Group 2 Moreton Cup over 1200m at Eagle Farm), he’s probably the one to beat.”

Redford winning on debut last September. Picture: Trackside Photography

TFI Racing paid just over $1m for Redford, part of the Arrowfield Stud draft, at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast and he was initially trained by Annabel Neasham.

Kendrick and several others, including his wife Trudy, took over the ownership last year and Redford won his first race for his new trainer last September in a Benchmark 60 (1300m) at Corbould Park.

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The highlight so far came in January this year when Redford upset odds-on favourite Moravia to win the $250,000 Magic Millions Rising Stars (3YO, 4YO colts and geldings division) at the Sunshine Coast.

“He was quite an expensive yearling but he’s been good for us since we’ve had him,” Kendrick said.

“Hopefully he can do something big for us tomorrow (Saturday), that’d be nice.”

Originally published as Stuart Kendrick confident Redford can bowl out Warnie in Glasshouse Handicap at Sunshine Coast