Racing: Julius can seize the day at $100,000 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate

Julius won the Railway at Ellerslie in January and is ready for a crack at Te Rapa tomorrow. Photo / Trish Dunell

Trainer John Bell realises sprint king Julius has a lot against him in tomorrow's $100,000 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.

But when regular rider Jason Waddell tells Bell that Julius will run top three he has no reason to question him.

"Jason knows the horse and knows the form and he got off him a couple of weeks ago and told me we will be in the top three in this race," says Bell.

"Just where we finish in that top three might depend on the little bits of luck that he and a couple of the other favourites get."

Julius is the clear second favourite for the first major race of the thoroughbred season which pits him, the Railway winner, against Avantage, the Telegraph winner, over 1200m.

The rare early-season treat is made that little bit harder for Julius by the fact he is now a nine-year-old and hasn't raced since January.

Last season, when he was nosed out in this race by Avantage's stablemate Melody Belle, he had run and won two weeks before and Bell knows at this level that could make a difference.

"Sure he is older, and we all know you put an old dog on a comfortable couch it is hard to get them up and around again," Bell quips.

"But I am pretty sure he is ready. We actually bought him up over the autumn but weren't going to race him in those open races with a huge weight so we eased off and started again.

"But he has trialled well and his trackwork has been good so he is close to where he needs to be."

Julius is drawn 13 but likely to start from barrier 10, similar to the nine gate he jumped from when he won the Railway at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

"The draw doesn't worry me at all," says Bell. "I think he will jump and roll forward as will a few drawn outside him and he should be able to get handy."

While nine-year-olds winning Group 2 sprints fresh-up is uncommon, Julius is a rare beast, with raw speed for a big no-nonsense galloper and with the bonus he doesn't mind the spring out of the track.

And for all the depth of the field there are plenty in the Foxbridge who will be more comfortable over 1400m or even 1600m at the upcoming Hawke's Bay carnival whereas Julius is an out and out sprinter.

The question is whether he can give Avantage 2kg and beat her after she trialled beautifully at Taupo recently when not well suited by carrying Opie Bosson under catchweight conditions.

Like many in tomorrow's field, Avantage will probably improve with the run and a view to Hastings in two weeks but she has won a Telegraph, Karaka Million and Gold Trail Stakes over 1200m as well as finishing third to Classique Legend in the A$1 million Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint in Sydney last year.

Her inside draw should be an advantage, as it could be for Princess Kereru and Travelling Light, but that may ultimately be decided by how the inside of the track holds up and how handy they are able to stay.