The Phoenix Hero Set For Warragul Cup Return

THE Phoenix hero Schillaci will launch his 2024 campaign when he returns to racing in the Group 2 Sportsbet Warragul Cup (460m) heats on Friday night.

And trainer Jihad Talgi has declared the high flying son of Hard Style Rico primed and ready for his much anticipated return, three weeks on from his memorable triumph in the $1.65m The Phoenix at The Meadows.

FIELDS AND FORM WARRAGUL FRIDAY NIGHT

In an absorbing third heat, Schillaci has drawn box eight where he will line-up against fellow The Phoenix runner Pass The Buck and Hobart Thousand finalist Starline Express.

"He's at about 90 per cent for his return," Talgi said in the lead up to Friday night's heats.

"After The Phoenix I gave him a good 10 days off and he did nothing at all.

Schillaci takes out The Phoenix at a big price with a phenomenal performance! ???? pic.twitter.com/VVW0ViKjH5

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 16, 2023

“Last week I gave him a hit out at Shepparton over the shorts and he went 21.75 which I was really happy with and he's had a couple of solid free gallops.

"He's nice and fresh and ready to go but there's still room for improvement. There's no point being fully wound up for the heats. He's got a big few months ahead of him”

Bookmaker Tab.com.au has installed Schillaci at $3.90 for his Warragul Cup heat where favouritism is with Pass The Buck (box 3) at $2.90 ahead of Starline Express (box 4) at $3.40.

"He's boxed great in the eight and loves Warragul – he's had four starts there for three wins and a second," Talgi added.

"But he'll need to come out because there's plenty of speed underneath him. He's gone 6.41 early so if he runs that he should be right there.”

After his Warragul Cup onslaught, Talgi has tentatively mapped out a program for his gun sprinter.

“Hopefully he gets a run in the The Temlee and then there is the Australian Cup,” Talgi said. “After that there's the Horsham and Shepparton Cups but I'd really like to get him to Sydney for the Golden Easter Egg. There's three races I wanted to win, the Egg, Melbourne Cup and The Phoenix … we've got one of them so far.”

Seven heats of the $55,000-to-the-winner Warragul Cup series are slated for decision on Friday night with an abundance of quality throughout the qualifiers.

Heat one sees prolific winner Journey Beyond take his place against Shepparton Cup hero Lektra Heckler while the second qualifier will see dual group winner Alpha Zulu step out against New Wave Whine.

The fourth heat promises to be one of the races of the night with excitement-machine Hector Fawley stepping out for the first time since The Phoenix where he'll match motors with the flying Unleash Collinda.

Topgun-Adelaide Cup winner Transponder will start favourite in heat five while it will be another Jason Thompson-trained runner atop of betting in heat six with Tim Zoo, a flying last start 25.27 winner at the track, a pronounced odds on favourite.

The seventh and final heat has Fred Rose, fresh off a powerhouse last start Sale feature win, equal favourite with Got Attitude, the narrowest of seconds in the recent Group 1 Hobart Thousand.