SW champion set for big return at Belmont

After a five month spell, Justin Warwick’s champion gelding Material Man is ready to take the Perth racing scene by storm.

The six-year-old trialled twice last month at Lark Hill and will race in this Saturday’s $150,000 Belmont Sprint (1400m), with Justin’s daughter Lucy in the saddle.

Material Man had a fantastic 2017, winning the XXXX Gold Bunbury Cup as well as Prince of Wales Hotel and Northam Cups.

With 11 wins from 20 starts and earning more than $1 million in less than two years, Material Man is known as one of the best thoroughbreds in the State.

The last time Justin won the Belmont Sprint was in 2016, when Lucy rode Wink And A Nod to victory.

Warwick told TAB Radio yesterday that Material Man was in good touch.

“What worries me is his opposition looks like they are,” he said.

“It is a pretty good bunch of horses lined up. It is probably the strongest field that I can remember lined up for this time of the year.

“It will be a good race and he is ready to run without hurting himself.”

Warwick said the Belmont Sprint would be a good race with Material Man to revive his rivalry with the Alan Mathews-trained Pounamu.

In Material Man’s last start he beat Pounamu by a nose to win the $500,000 TABTouch Perth Cup (2400m) on January 1.

The Myalup trainer said Material Man was a 50-50 chance to head to Melbourne this year.

“We will just get through these races,” he said.

“The easiest option for me is just to stay here.

“We will just see what happens.”