The George Main Stakes looms as a campaign-defining race for Verry Elleegant with trainer Chris Waller to weigh up the mare’s options after the Group One event.
Waller admits Verry Elleegant’s first run as a four-year-old when she beat just one runner home in the Group One Winx Stakes was a head-scratcher.
She ended her Classic year as the winner of the Vinery Stud Stakes and Australian Oaks and had two trials before the Winx on August 24.
The trainer changed her work around on Saturday morning.
“I just wasn’t sure where she was at after her first-up run so we gave her a gallop with a couple of other horses,” Waller said.
“She’s always been working on her own so we made her do a bit and I was very happy with what she did and I think she took a bit of confidence from the work as well.
“I was scratching my head after her first-up run. I think if she goes well in the George Main she’ll go down the Cox Plate path.
“If she’s a bit plain there, I would consider a mares’ path. Obviously the Caulfield Cup is high on the priority list.
“So we’ve got three options, the Cox Plate, the Caulfield Cup, and the mares’ path.”
Waller said the transition for three-year-olds to their four-year-old season could take time.
“I call them four-year-old fillies because they’re still not quite there,” he said.
“I think next Saturday will tell me if she’s there or not.”
Waller is also likely to run two other Oaks winners, Youngstar and Unforgotten in the 1600m-race he has won for the past four years with Winx (2017,18) Kermadec (2016) and Sacred Falls (2015).
The Bjorn Baker-trained Samadoubt, winner of the Winx Stakes and Chelmsford Stakes, is expected to line up as is three-time Group One winner Happy Clapper from the Pat Webster stable along.
Godolphin could have both Avilius and Alizee while Hartnell is also in the market after his Makybe Diva fourth at Flemington. – Caryl Williamson
