Warning fires claims for Victoria Derby

Warning has emerged as a Victoria Derby contender with his win in the Super Impose Stakes.

The addition of blinkers has brought out the best in Warning with the gelding breaking through for his maiden win at Flemington.

Success in Saturday’s Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) resulted in Warning having his price slashed from $51 to $11 for the Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2.

Providing Irish jockey with his maiden Australian stakes race win, Warning ($15) scored a two-length win from Independent Road ($9) with Huntly Castle ($10) a long-neck away third.

Warning was down to run at Kyneton on Friday, but after drawing wide trainer Anthony Freedman elected to run the three-year-old from barrier one on Saturday.

Freedman had been disappointed with Warning’s performance when fourth in maiden company at Sale at his previous start and pointed to the blinkers providing the form turnaround on Saturday.

“We’ve always had a reasonably high opinion of him but he’s a lazy, laid-back sort of horse that would improve with the blinkers on,” Freedman said.

Plans are for Warning to run in the Caulfield Classic (2000m) on October 19 with Freedman saying if the gelding remains in form to press on to the Derby two weeks later.

Freedman said it was fitting to win the race named in honour of Super Impose who was trained by his brother Lee.

Super Impose won the 1989 Turnbull Stakes along with the 1990 and 1991 Epsom Handicaps in Sydney which were both run on Saturday.

“He got us going and we owe him a lot so it’s good that he’s actually got a decent race named after him,” Freedman said.