Jason Waddell’s high opinion of Julius will be put to the test in the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
“He’s my horse to hopefully replace Kawi,” Waddell said.
“He’s the best I’ve ridden who hasn’t won a Group One. He hasn’t run in one yet, but he will and he’ll be a Group One winner.”
If Julius performs up to expectations on Saturday he will get his Group One opportunity at Hastings a fortnight later in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m), the same race Kawi won in 2015 and 2016.
Waddell formed a successful association with the recently retired Kawi near the end of his racing career, being aboard seven times for the last two of his seven Group One wins plus three Group One placings and a couple of Group Two placings.
The combination won the Gr.1 Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) and was a fast-finishing second in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m).
Waddell has also fashioned a fine record on Julius since riding him for the first time when successful at Ellerslie in January last year.
He was beaten a head on him in his next start and has been back aboard in his last two starts, the first of them being the Gr.3 Darley Stallions Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie last March which completed a Group Three double for Julius having previously won the Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie with Jake Bayliss in the saddle.
Although now a seven-year-old, Julius has started on just 11 occasions for seven wins and four placings and trainer John Bell plans to sparingly race him again this campaign with the Tarzino Trophy being the ultimate goal.
The son of Swiss Ace has already been installed the $7 favourite on Fixed Odds with the TAB bookmakers for the Tarzino Trophy even though he is not guaranteed a start in the feature.
He is 21st equal in the order of entry for the 16-horse field and needs to shape up in the Foxbridge Plate to secure a start.
Buoyed by Waddell’s confidence, Bell expects Julius to measure up on Saturday.
“He’s a happy horse and he’s improved from his first-up run,” Bell said. “He was 75 per cent ready that day.”
Waddell went straight to the front fresh-up and, despite being taken on mid-race, Julius was too strong, winning by a length and a half.
“That was Jason’s plan and it worked,” Bell said. “He’ll be making the call on how to ride him on Saturday. He knows what’s best for the horse and what he can do.”
If Julius does succeed in the Foxbridge Plate it will be a far more compacted programme for him backing up a fortnight later in the Tarzino Trophy.
“He only had three runs in the whole of last season and now he’d be having three in a month,” Bell said. “But you can’t be too precious. We’ve looked after him and now he’s ready for it.
“He can go out for a spell until Christmas after the Tarzino.”
