Co-trainer Troy Corstens has freshened up Vezalay as the mare drops back in distance for the Listed $120,000 Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Vezalay, above, has been freshened up for the Doveton Stakes at Sandown. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Corstens is willing to forget Vezalay’s last start fifteenth in the Group 3 $200,000 Sensis Stakes (1100m) when she didn’t handle the Flemington straight on October 29.
“On Derby Day she just didn’t handle the straight at all. So we’ll forget about that and concentrate on moving forward,” Corstens told AAP.
“I think she’ll run really well. I probably would have preferred it to be 1100 or 1200 but that’s OK. We’ve kept her nice and fresh so she should run a big race.”
The Sensis Stakes was Vezalay’s second run this campaign and Corstens was happy with her first up third to Palazzo Pubblico in the Listed $120,000 Alinghi Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 15.
“Her first-up run was fantastic and we were ecstatic,” Corstens said.
Corstens wants to head to the Gold Coast in January for the Magic Millions Carnival with Vesalay who is likely to line up in the $1m Magic Million Sprint (1200m).
“Probably the Magic Millions Sprint is the race we’ll head for,” Corstens said.
“(Managing owner) Brad Spicer sat down after her last preparation and said he’d really like to have a crack at the Magic Millions.
“So we said we would give her a bit longer break over winter and bring her back a little later in the spring and we can have her cherry ripe for the Gold Coast.”
Vezalay is the winner of three of her sixteen starts with all her victories coming over 1100m and has earned $218, 600 in prizemoney for her large group of owners.
The Sharmadal mare will be having her first run on the Sandown Hillside track and is yet to win over the 1000m of the Doveton Stakes.
Troy Corstens trains in partnership with his father Leon and the stable has also nominated last start Cranbourne winner Runson for the Doveton Stakes.
The co-trainers combined to win their first Group 1 as a partnership at Flemington last Saturday when Awesome Rock with Stephen Baster in the saddle won the $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m).
