The addition of Ear Muffs will give former Kiwi trained filly Verry Elleegant a new look as she steps out for the Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Verry Elleegant, above, will wear a set of ear muffs in the 2019 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Verry Elleegant is currently the $2.30 favourite for the Vinery Stud Stakes at Ladbtokes.com.au on the strength of her last start three and a half lengths win in the Group 2 $200,000 Chandon S Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) Rosehill two weeks ago.
Verry Elleegant still has a lot learn to improve her racing manners and trainer Chris Waller is hoping the addition of the Ear Muffs will help her to race more tractably.
“She does all of her work in the Ear Muffs so nothing is really going to be new for her from a perspective of performance,” Waller said in his pre-race summary.
“I do think she will settle better than what we have seen in the past but until you see them race under pressure, you can’t be high in confidence.”
“We certainly feel it is the best way to enable her to win a Group 1 race over the extended 2000m distance.”
“Obviously we think she will be very hard to beat tomorrow.”
James McDonald was aboard Verry Elleegant for the impressive Phar Lap Stakes win and he will be aboard the filly again who will jump from barrier four in the Vinery Stud Stakes field that has been reduced to twelve runners following the early scratching of the Kris Lees trained El Dorado Dreaming.
Waller is expecting another first class performance from Verry Elleegant and if that eventuates the filly will progress to the Group 1 $1m Heineken 3 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Day Two of The Championships on April 13.
“Providing she is doing things right, then the Oaks will be on the cards but we need to see her switch off and conserve some energy,” Waller said.
On the second line of betting at $5.50 is the Mark Newnham trained Nakeeta Jane who will jump from barrier three with Josh Parr in the saddle again.
Parr and Nakeeta Jane combined for a Group 1 win two starts back when they got the judge’s decision in a tight four way photo finish in the $500,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on March 2 and then backed up a week later to finish third to The Autumn Sun in the Group 1 $1m Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick.
Next in the betting at $6.50 is the James Cummings trained Pohutukawa just ahead of Victoria Oaks winner Aristia at $7.50.
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