Trainer Simon Miller is confident that Whispering Brook is in the right form to have an impact in Saturday’s Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), despite being scratched at the gates prior to the running of the Moonee Valley Vase last weekend.
Whispering Brook (behind, yellow sleeves) will contest Saturday’s Group 1 Myer Classic at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
A Perth galloper, Whispering Brook has made a notable impact on east coast racing through three starts this time and resumed for a close second behind Merriest in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 3rd.
Unable to handle the late pace when seventh in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 24th, the daughter of Hinchinbrook responded well with a big performance for third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) last time out on October 8th.
Having played up in her stall before being removed on vets advice at the Valley on Saturday, Miller told Racing Ahead that Whispering Brook is in peak condition and her proven ability at a mile has underlined the Myer Classic as her ideal next point of call, rather than stepping up to 2500m for the Crown Oaks.
“It was a rollercoaster road on Saturday! We got to see Winx, then you get to see mine scratched and then rolled over to Perth to win a stakes race about half an hour later, so it was a bit of an indifferent day,” Miller said.
“She was good. I went and had a look at her straight after the race and she had nothing major and mentally she was really good.
“I knew we were in a good place come Saturday night, so we just regroup and go again!
“The distance of the Oaks was always suspect, but she ran out the mile at Caulfield so we thought we’d go to the Vase and if she could run that out we’d pursue the Oaks and if she didn’t, we’d come home.
“We wanted to have another crack at a Group 1 with her, be the Myer or the Oaks and I thought at the time that the Oaks would be the softer option but now Yankee Rose is going there.
“I know a filly hasn’t won it, but she’s only three runs in so it’s not as though she’s come to the end of her prep.
“Her run in the Thousand Guineas was really good. My foreman said she’s recovered really well from a trial, so we’re back on track and it will be nice to have another crack at a Group 1.”
Whispering Brook was a standout for Miller through the Perth autumn this year and resumed in March for a comfortable three length win in the Listed Supremacy Stakes (1100m) on March 5th.
Repeating the dose in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) a fortnight later, Whispering Brook took out each of the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and Group 3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) before returned to the paddock.
Whispering Brook is currently available at 2016 Myer Classic odds of $7.50 with Ladbrokes Australia.
