Smart Lindsay Park mare Gregers will be at her peak for the Group 1 $400,000 William Hill Classic (Registered as Robert Sangster Stakes) (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday according to co-trainer Tom Dabernig.
Gregers will be at her peak for the Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Gregers has returned from a throat operation and Dabernig has been pleased with her two runs this preparation when she ran second to Platelet first up over 955m at Moonee Valley on March 27 then finished third to Politeness in the Listed $120,000 TROA Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on April 18.
“She’s had the two runs this prep and both have been excellent,” Dabernig told The Advertiser.
“I do think the operation has helped her a bit.
“We think she’s going as well as she ever has.”
Gregers has drawn midfield at barrier eight in the seventeen horse field of fillies and mares and jockey Craig Williams should have no trouble finding a spot just behind the leading bunch.
“She naturally just puts herself on the speed and is up there out of trouble,” Dabernig said.
“There are probably half a dozen in the race you can make a case for — and she’s definitely one of them.”
Gregers ran third in the Robert Sangster Stakes last year behind Driefontein and Platelet and then went on to finish fourth to Smokin’ Joey in the Group 1 $500,000 The Tapestry Wines Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.
The Commands mare will be taking on Platelet again as well as Politeness in what is going to be a very open betting race.
Gregers has won six of her twenty starts as well as being placed on another six occasions with her best win being the Group 2 $175,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield in September 2013.
She has also been placed at Group 1 level on two occasions and as well as last year’s third in the Robert Sangster Stakes she finished third behind Guelph and May’s Dream in the 2013 Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
Dabernig and co-trainer David Hayes will also saddle up their promising filly Wawail who will be wearing the blinkers for the first time after running third over 1600m to Fontein Ruby in the Listed $120,000 Schweppes Alexandra Stakes at Moonee Valley on March 27.
Gregers is marked as an $11 chance for the Robert Sangster Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au in a market order that has Vain Queen holding onto favouritism at $5 just ahead of Miracles Of Life at $5.50.
Robert Sangster Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 Vain Queen, $5.50 Miracles Of Life, $7 Avoid Lightning, $9 Politeness, $10 Platelet, Sabatini, $11 Gregers, $12 Tycoon Tara, $13 Magnifisio, Runway Star, $18 Wawail, $21 I Love It, $31 Scarlet Billows, $41 Miss Steele, $61 Text’N Hurley, $101 Fine Approach, $151 Natural Disaster.
