Metal Bender signalled he would be a force in the spring's biggest races when he led in a Chris Waller-trained trifecta in the Group Two Warwick Stakes.The triple Group One winner firmed from $23 to $14 for the Cox Plate after he held off stablemates Triple Honour and Danleigh to take out Saturday's Warwick Farm feature.The dash he showed over 1400 metres was no surprise to Waller who said in the lead-up all three were tuned up for the race.Punters stuck with proven sprinter Danleigh and sent hi

Metal Bender signalled he would be a force in the spring's biggest races when he led in a Chris Waller-trained trifecta in the Group Two Warwick Stakes.

The triple Group One winner firmed from $23 to $14 for the Cox Plate after he held off stablemates Triple Honour and Danleigh to take out Saturday's Warwick Farm feature.

The dash he showed over 1400 metres was no surprise to Waller who said in the lead-up all three were tuned up for the race.

Punters stuck with proven sprinter Danleigh and sent him out the $2.20 favourite with Triple Honour at $9.50 and Metal Bender the least favoured at $15.

But it was Metal Bender who got the upper hand by a short neck over the fast-finishing Triple Honour with Danleigh another three-quarters of a length away.

"It's a privilege to train these types of horses," Waller said.

"It's a super return for Metal Bender and Triple Honour.

"They both trialled on Monday and I talked up all three and thought they would all go well.

"There's still room for improvement and it is exciting going ahead.

"Metal Bender is a special horse and Triple Honour is going as good as ever."

Hugh Bowman rode Metal Bender when he won the Hollindale Stakes but was suspended for the Doomben Cup with Kerrin McEvoy taking over in that Group One.

Bowman was aboard Danleigh in the Warwick Stakes with Tim Clark getting the nod on Metal Bender.

"I was pretty confident coming to the races thinking he'd run very well because he's such a good horse," Clark said.

"He didn't have long off after Queensland and still had residual fitness on his side.

"He'd trialled twice and was up to the mark.

"Drawing soft (barrier four) obviously helped because he put himself into a winnable position."

All three stablemates are scheduled to clash again in the Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) in two weeks.

"The plan for Danleigh is to head towards the George Main Stakes," Waller said.

"I want to get Triple Honour to the Caulfield Cup and I will try to keep him in Sydney as long as possible.

"With Metal Bender we are keeping sight of the Melbourne carnival races so we'll go to the Chelmsford and take it from there."

Purple put in a solid performance to run fourth with Theseo just behind the Darley mare and Brilliant Light next with only 2-1/2 lengths covering the first six.

Waller finished runner-up to Peter Snowden in last season's premiership and has the early lead this term.

But he admitted three second placings from the first three races had him wondering if that would be the pattern of the day.

Snowden and Darley were not to be denied, winning the two three-year-old features at their home track with Parables taking out the Silver Shadow and Blackball the Up And Coming.

More than 6000 people turned up for racing at Sydney's southwestern track, a healthy number considering it was election day.