Dual Oaks winner Egg Tart will have to replicate the past performances of her illustrious stablemate Winx if she is going to produce a first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill today.
Egg Tart, above in red and green colours, is the faavourite for the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
The Chris Waller trained Egg Tart proved to be one of the best staying three year olds during the 2017 Autumn and Winter Carnivals with wins in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville followed by a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben.
Champion mare Winx won the 2015 Queensland Oaks, which was the second of her nineteen straight wins, and then resumed in the Spring to win the Theo Marks Stakes on her way to claiming the first of her two wins in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley.
Egg Tart from barrier four with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle has been installed the favourite for the Theo Marks Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au and on race morning was quoted at $2.80 to make a winning 2017 Spring Carnival debut.
“We gave her a good break after Queensland and that is the reason she wasn’t racing two or three weeks ago,” Waller said.
“She is not a big mare but she is very athletic and quite fit.
“Good filly. Last season won two Group 1 races, now she is a mare.”
“Barrier four should get a nice run, Kerrin McEvoy aboard in a field of eight.”
“A bit of weight to carry against the older the horses now of course.”
While the bookies have made Egg Tart the top pick in the market order, Waller feels that the 1300m of the Theo Marks Stakes might be a bit short for the Sebring mare but he expects her to be doing her best work at the finish.
“1300m is a touch short for her but as long as she is attacking the line I will be more than happy,” Waller said.
The field for the Theo Mark Stakes has been reduced to seven runners with the scratching of Egg Tart’s stablemate Foxplay who will be saved for a race on George Main Stakes Day at Randwick next week.
Waller will still have two runners in the Theo Mark Stakes with Egg Tart joined by Good Prospect who will jump from gate six with Winx’s regular rider Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
