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Bel on trial for Group One sprints

Thursday 2 February 2012
Robert Windmill

Jockey Ben Melham will be looking to take a sit behind the leaders when noted speedster Bel Sprinter resumes at Caulfield.

Melham said the Jason Warren-trained sprinter would be improved by the run in Saturday's Listed United Arab Emirates Stakes (1000m) and that the challenge would be getting him to settle.

"It will be interesting to see how the first couple of furlongs (400m) unfolds," Melham told Radio Sport National.

"Obviously I am concerned he might want to get racing a little bit fresh.

"He is fit and well but he's not fully wound up yet and whatever he does he is going to improve on."

Melham has noted some improvement in Bel Sprinter's racing manners but he is unsure he will be able to hold up the $2.10 TAB Sportsbet favourite, who is having his first run for five months.

"He still does want to go quite keenly," Melham said.

"On Saturday there is a little bit of speed drawn outside him with Definitely Ready and probably Faster Son and we've got to weigh up what we want to do there.

"Ideally, I would like to pop in behind those two but he's not a horse you can sort of pull around.

"You have to go with him a little bit."

Bel Sprinter has won four of his five starts with his only defeat at the end of his last campaign when Lone Rock bloused him in the Group Three Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 3.

It was his second run down the straight having won over 1100 metres there in July but Melham said the son of Bel Esprit was better suited at Caulfield.

"I have got no doubt he is better suited to racing around a bend," Melham said.

"He has had a couple of runs up the straight at Flemington and he can just be a bit vulnerable late, especially over six furlongs (1200m) because he sees a bit of daylight and he wants to get running."

Warren will make a decision after Saturday's assignment whether Bel Sprinter targets the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25 or the Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10.

"Saturday is an ideal race to kick him off and it will give us a good line on where he is at," Melham said.