Trainer David Hayes is confident that classy filly Gregers will be right in the finish when she steps-up to Group 2 level in the Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Gregers will continue her path to the Thousand Guineas in the Danehill Stakes at Flemington tomorrow. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Gregers has been flawless this preparation, winning the Aquanas Foods Handicap (1000m) by four and half lengths before recording another comfortable victory in the Mitchelton Wines Plate (1200m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago, but will face a much stronger field this weekend.
Hayes believes that Gregers is up to the challenge against a number of the leading colts heading to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and is expecting her to enjoy her first attempt down the famous Flemington straight.
“Last start she was placed softly and she did the right thing,” Hayes told Racing Ahead on RSN.
“This is a step up in class and it will tell us where we are going with her.
“Everybody in the race thinks they can be in the Guineas so that tells you the depth of the race.
“She strikes me as a horse that will be suited by the straight.
“I would say that whatever beats her wins the race, she will be right there.”
Gregers won from the front in the Mitchleton Wines Plate but was ridden just off the pace in the Aquanas Foods Handicap and Hayes plans on leaving it up to champion apprentice Chad Schofield where he positions the three-year-old in the run this weekend.
“We will leave that to Chad but she is never far from the pace,” Hayes said.
“She has won leading and she has won sitting off the pace.
“She is a push button sort of horse and she isn’t likely to get cluttered up coming out of that barrier.
“That would be the biggest risk – if she gets cluttered up on the inside.”
Gregers will become just the seventh filly to win the Danehill Stakes if she is victorious tomorrow, joining Tan Tat De Lago (2007), equine superstar Black Caviar (2009) and Snitzerland (2012) who have won the race in recent years.
