Set Square Forward Enough To Win The Vanity

Trainer Ciaron Maher is confident that Crown Oaks winner Set Square is forward enough to win the 2015 The Vanity at Flemington this weekend.

Set Square will be returning to the races for the first time since she scored an impressive win in the 2014 Crown Oaks. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Set Square will be returning to the races for the first time since she scored an impressive win in the 2014 Crown Oaks. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Set Square made her racing debut with a third place finish in a maiden at Donald on September 15 last year and she scored her maiden race win at Ballarat on October 8 before she made a debut at Listed level with a win in the Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 18.

The Reset filly was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 6 and she produced a tough staying performance to deliver Maher the biggest win of his training career to date.

Set Square did not find her best form until she got over a staying trip during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but Maher has been impressed with the sharpness of Set Square’s work this preparation and believes that she is capable of winning first-up in the Crown Oaks this weekend.

“I am really happy with her,” Maher said.

“She had about five weeks off and didn’t lose a lot of fitness, she retained a lot and we have sort of just been ticking her over.

“She is quiet a natural stayer, so we haven’t really had to do a lot with her.

“She had a jump out most recently at Sandown on Tuesday and we were only very soft on her and after the line she (Michelle Payne) said that she really wanted to get on with it.

“Obviously she likes Flemington and she will likely just be where she is comfortable and you would think that she would be in the back half of the field and hitting the line strongly.

“She is fairly straightforward and over this trip I think that it will be sharp enough for her.

“From that gate we won’t be asking her to go forward to sit on the speed and from there we will go back, let her get nice and comfortable and hopefully peel out in the straight and see what she can do.

“At home she has shown that she has furnished as a horse and she seems a little bit sharper than last time around through experience and physique.

“She is forward enough.”

Set Square is set to have one more race start in Melbourne following The Vanity before she heads to Sydney for the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick a fortnight later.

Set Square is currently available at 2015 The Vanity odds of $7.50 with Ladbrokes, while Wawail ($2.50) is a clear favourite from Maastricht ($5.50) and Fenway ($6.50).

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.