Schwarz’s time to aim up in Missile
Rosemont Alliance colt to step out in Group 2 as Group 1 precursor
Twenty-four hours after parading Rosemont Alliance’s first colts syndicate stallion Doull (Snitzel) at Geelong races on Friday, studmaster Anthony Mithen will be transfixed to the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) watching another stallion prospect in the making.
The Randwick Group 2 will be the seasonal starting point for Rosemont’s highly touted stakes-winning entire Schwarz (Zoustar) and Mithen believes it’s time for the talented four-year-old to “put up or shut up” this spring.
A probable addition to the Victorian stud’s stallion roster in 2025, the $1.25 million Inglis Easter sale graduate Schwarz faces an important acid test in the Missile Stakes, Sydney’s first stakes race of the 2024-25 season, ahead of a possible maiden shot at Group 1 level second-up from a short spell.
Schwarz, a son of Group 2 winner Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt), won the Springtime Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Flemington in his first racing campaign and he took out the Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m) during the autumn.
A blistering barrier trial 11 days ago at Warwick Farm signalled to co-trainer John O’Shea, jockey James McDonald, Mithen and company that Schwarz had suffered no ill effects from the interference he suffered when finishing unplaced in the Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) on an unsuitable soft track at Eagle Farm on June 1.
But it was enough for connections to pull the pin on the Queensland campaign and switch their focus to the spring with their lightly raced colt.
“No one is under any illusions that it’s time for him to step up and be the man or mouse, but every indication is that he’s turned himself from a boy into a man over the past couple of months, which is very pleasing,” Mithen said.
“His trial was exceptional and this [Missile Stakes] has always been John’s ambition to kick him off in. This and then plot a path second-up 1400 metres, either in the Memsie or the Winx Stakes, depending on track conditions and which way he wants to go after carefully studying all factors.
“He’s there to put up or shut up.”
Feedback from McDonald after his 900-metre trial, in which he put 3.41 lengths on Group 3 winner Mumbai Muse (Zoustar) and Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) conqueror Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon), had O’Shea oozing confidence about his eye-catching charge but he couldn’t help but resent what occurred at his last start in Brisbane.
“It was all positive after his trial [this preparation] when he brained a pretty nice looking trial field and did it comfortably. I spoke to John afterwards and he was rabbiting on about how well the horse is and how well he’s done and how glowing JMac was in his praise afterwards, but he can’t wash it out of his hair,” Mithen revealed.
“The conversation soon turned to the state of the track in Queensland up there, how he blotted his copybook and he never deserved to have a blot on his copybook … it just wasn’t suitable for that day.
“I had to say to John, ‘hey, let’s not look backwards. We’ve got a bloody nice colt on our hands and let’s not get tied up in circumstances that were a little less than flattering’.
“We’ve got a spring to write that wrong.”
Bred by Widden, Qatar Bloodstock and partners, Schwarz was one of ten nominations for the $300,000 Missile Stakes, with fellow four-year-old Arctic Glamour (Frosted) also among the entries.
The race-fit Semillion (Shalaa), who was runner-up to Recommendation (Shalaa) in the Bletchingly Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield late last month, and the improving Shezanalister (Star Turn) could also contest the Missile on Saturday.
At first glance, Mithen is confident about Schwarz’s chances: “If we think we’ve got a Group 1 colt on our hands, he should be extremely competitive amongst that lot.”
Group 2-winning sprinter Doull, meanwhile, will be shown to racegoers at Geelong, a relative stone’s throw from his new residence at Rosemont where he will stand for an introductory fee of $11,000 (inc GST) with a “toss the boss” incentive in place for breeders who support the sire in his maiden season at stud.
“Doull’s got really good breeder support and we’re doing the toss the boss [promotion like we did with Starcraft], pick a filly, pick a colt, and he’s going along really nicely,” Mithen said.
*All are welcome to attend Friday’s races and enjoy a drink on Rosemont and to see Doull. Please RSVP to the Rosemont office.