Pereille in prime position to finally break shackles

Pereille has been defeated as a $2.60 favourite, $3.60 favourite, $2.25 favourite and last start as a $1.40 shot but surely he breaks the shackles in the Drinkwise Plate (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

The Godolphin colt, it’s fair to say, had his chance to get past Lomandra on resuming against six rivals at the same track and distance two weeks ago so what edge might he have this time around?

Aside from the added fitness he’s dropping 2kg in weight for staying in essentially the same grade. While his first-up run was in a three-year-old maiden only one of his rivals, Givara, is an older horse at four.

And you have to wonder whether, just as he did when stablemate Parisal posted her first win at the start of the month, James McDonald will just take the race by the scruff of the neck from barrier one and defy them to run him down.

Away from the unknowns of the first-starters there doesn’t look to be a whole lot of speed engaged.

Punters are being asked to take a short price once again and while excuses can’t be made for his first-up defeat none can be seen for him second-up on paper at least.

McDonald will be popular throughout the meeting as usual and there’ll be plenty of interest in whether he can steer Eau De Vie home in the Microphone First Yearlings Handicap (1600m) after a luckless defeat at Canterbury on February 1.

The filly did start a $5.50 chance in that maiden but didn’t get a clean shot at them in the home straight.