Veuvelicious To Begin Crown Oaks Campaign At Caulfield

Veuvelicious is set to begin her 2014 Crown Oaks campaign at Caulfield next Saturday after she impressed trainer Brent Stanley with her effort in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Cranbourne yesterday.

Veuvelicious won the Fernhill Handicap in impressive fashion during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Veuvelicious won the Fernhill Handicap in impressive fashion during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart

Veuvelicious contested the fourth barrier trial at Cranbourne and was given a very quiet time by jockey Damien Oliver, but was still able to work home strongly to finish third behind talented filly Eloping and Marrakesh.

Stanley told RSN this morning that the plan was always to give Veuvelicious a quiet time in the barrier trial, but he is confident that the Northern Meteor filly will have taken plenty of benefit from the trip away from her Kyneton stable.

“She trialed really good and she pulled up really good,” Stanley said.

Damien Oliver rode her and was over the moon with the way that she is coming up at the moment.

“This time of in the tracks aren’t the best to gallop and open them up on and although the track was heavy there, they do enough within themselves without letting them off the bridle.

“It is good to take them there, give them a trip on the float, look around there for the day and jump out of the barriers and race with other horses.

“It is very good for them and it is something that they can’t do at the track at home.”

The Group 1 Crown Oaks (2400m) will be the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Veuvelicious and Stanley said that he will be look to give his star filly four or five runs in the lead-up to the $1 million event at Flemington on November 6.

Stanley is planning on giving Veuvelicious a low key start to her spring campaign at Caulfield on August 30 and is hoping that the three-year-old will be able to start her preparation with a first-up win.

“She will probably start in a benchmark fillies 78 at Caulfield in two weeks,” Stanley said.

“It is just a nice starting race for her because you don’t have to take on horses that are up and trying to win stakes races.

“The only other real races to start off in are 1200 metre stakes races where she will be chasing most of the way.

“If she can get into a 1400 and get into her rhythm up on the speed; we will try and make it as soft of a first-up run as we can and try and make her win as well.”

Veuvelicious is currently on the second line of the 2014 Crown Oaks betting market at Ladbrokes Australia at a quote of $9, while Go Indy Go is a clear favourite at $5.

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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.