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By Ray Hickson

High class imports Sir Delius and Vauban step into unchartered waters as the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bot duo kick off their spring campaigns in the Group 2 $300,000 Asahi Super Dry Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Adrian Bott (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Neither has ever contested a race under 2000m and Adrian Bott says that’s the big question mark but the Chelmsford is a good springboard to longer races in coming months.

Sir Delius has had a similar build up with three barrier trials to when he made his Australian debut with an impressive Group 3 win at Doomben in May.

“That was over 2000m which is probably more his natural trip so the mile is still going to be a bit short of his best,’’ Bott said.

“In saying that he’s trialled well, he’s back in good shape and he’s coming up well. I’d like to think there’s improvement off what we’ve seen from him in Australia.

“I’m as interested as anyone to see what he can produce under these conditions.”

Bott said the 1600m starting point should allow Sir Delius, $4.20 with TAB on Friday, to get into a rhythm wherever he settles in the run and is naturally wary that the Chelmsford is far from his grand final.

“Hopefully it’s a testing mile at Randwick, there’s plenty of things to like about the set up for him first-up,’’ he said.

“Where he’s at in his preparation there’s good improvement to come and the main targets are still a while off.”

Vauban won a Hawkesbury barrier trial at the same session as Sir Delius, running 0.14 seconds slower, but he’s had the benefit of a full preparation with the Waterhouse/Bott stable that also started with a win over 2000m.

The eight-year-old has had 17 more starts than his stablemate so it’s no surprise that Bott said he might be the one that finds the distance a bigger issue.

“This is still well short of his best but again it’s a nice kick off point and for him to build off going forward,’’ he said.

“He seems well in himself, a bit of a sharper horse this preparation. I like the manner in which he’s trialled, he’s shown a bit of tactical speed and freshness we haven’t seen from him previously.

“But Sir Delius may be that little bit sharper at this point of the preparation.”

Bott said it’s likely the two stayers will be split following their first-up runs.

Talented filly Agarwood will be out to redeem herself in the Group 2 $300,000 TAB Furious Stakes (1200m) after failing to handle the testing ground first-up two weeks ago.

She was expected to be in the finish of the Silver Shadow but dropped out after leading to run sixth behind Savvy Hallie as a $2.80 chance.

“She struggled on that track, wasn’t quite able to let down and produce anywhere near her best,’’ Bott said.

“It was a disappointing run, she’s handled a heavy track before but I just think that was a different level. We’re forgiving of that and she can certainly bounce back.”

He said stablemate Stardom showed good progression to win a stakes race at her third start last preparation and has shown a good degree of sharpness as she steps up in grade first-up.

Sir Delius wins a Hawkesbury trial on August 25

Adrian Bott on Fully Lit (race 5): “He did get a few things in his favour there last start so we’re mindful of that. Hopefully he can maintain it, it was obviously a peak performance in the preparation and if he can reproduce that he can be hard to beat. I was expecting that may have been his final run for the campaign but he’s done very well so it gave us no reason to be pulling up yet.”

On Dominetta (race 10): “She’s come back well, whether we look to stretch her out as far this preparation I’m not sure. It might be on the short side for her but she seems in good shape. She has the potential to get back to stakes level in the right race.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting