Trainer Brian Wakefield hopes to know if talented three-year-old Bretonneux is a genuine winter carnival contender or a pretender after his Doomben assignment on Wednesday.Bretonneux, who tackles the Jacob's Creek Sparkling Handicap (1200m), scored an impressive first-up victory over 1200 metres at Doomben at only his second appearance in a race on March 18.Wakefield immediately declared the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) in June as Bretonneux's winter goal but is wary the son of General N
Trainer Brian Wakefield hopes to know if talented three-year-old Bretonneux is a genuine winter carnival contender or a pretender after his Doomben assignment on Wednesday.
Bretonneux, who tackles the Jacob's Creek Sparkling Handicap (1200m), scored an impressive first-up victory over 1200 metres at Doomben at only his second appearance in a race on March 18.
Wakefield immediately declared the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) in June as Bretonneux's winter goal but is wary the son of General Nediym will need to boost his prizemoney to be guaranteed a start in the Eagle Farm feature.
Wet tracks and the abandonment of the Eagle Farm fixture on Easter Monday have added to Wakefield's woes in trying to build on the gelding's prizemoney level.
"He needs a lot more prizemoney to be assured of a start in the Guineas," Wakefield said.
"I've tried to run him a couple of times lately but it's been too wet.
"He won on a dead track last time but it was very gluey that day and I don't think he really likes it wet.
"It was a heavy track when I scratched him from Doomben a few weeks ago then it was heavy again on Easter Saturday and the Monday meeting was eventually called off after one race.
"I had him in at Caloundra last Sunday but he was in the last of 10 races so I had to scratch him again."
Doomben is rated a dead five for Wednesday but Wakefield is hopeful of a track upgrade.
"It's a dead five today but by tomorrow it should be spot-on if the sun stays out," he said.
"It's a tough race he's in but it'll be a good yardstick to see if he's up to the better winter races.
"If he comes through this race I'll run him in the Gold Coast Guineas before we start to step him up to a mile (1600m)."
The Listed Gold Coast Guineas (1300m) will be run on Saturday week.
Bretonneux impressed jockey Larry Cassidy with his winning performance last start but the former Sydney rider will partner the Bryan Guy-trained rival, Gorm The Old.
"Unfortunately Larry had taken the ride on Gorm The Old not expecting Bretonneux to run," Wakefield said.
Bretonneux cost $75,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions sales and is a son of the David Hayes-trained Freedom Fields, winner of the fillies' Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield in 1992.
Wakefield rated Gorm The Old and former Sydney galloper Mazuka as two of the main dangers to Bretonneux.
"Gorm The Old won well at Ipswich last start and Mazuka's form in Sydney has been reasonable," he said.
Mazuka, who is now prepared at Gerald Ryan's Murwillumbah base, was resuming when he ran fifth to Dorf Command over 1100 metres at Rosehill on March 21.