Highly rated mare Egg Tart will have to show considerable improvement from an eye injury before being cleared to run in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.

Egg Tart, above in red and green colours, will have to undergo a further vet's inspection before being cleared to run in the Epsom Handicap at Randwick Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Egg Tart, above in red and green colours, will have to undergo a further vet’s inspection before being cleared to run in the Epsom Handicap at Randwick Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Egg Tart underwent an inspection this morning from Racing New South Wales Senior Official Veterinarian, Dr Craig Suann, following notification from trainer Chris Waller that the Sebring mare had been treated for an eye irritation since her last start second to Deploy in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Racing New South Wales released the following statement which said at the moment that Egg Tart was unfit to take her place in the Epsom Handicap field and would have to undergo a further inspection tomorrow.

“Racing NSW Senior Official Veterinarian, Dr Craig Suann, has advised that his inspection of Egg Tart has found the mare to have a painful eye irritation to its near side eye.”

“Dr Suann advised that as the irritation presents at this time the mare is not suitable to race this Saturday and accordingly would require further improvement to take its place in the TAB Epsom. Dr Suann shall inspect Egg Tart again tomorrow to monitor its progress.”

Stable representative Charlie Duckworth is confident that Egg Tart will be fit to take her place in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday.

“Eyes are very sensitive but it also means they are incredibly quick to heal. The turnaround we saw from Thursday last week to Friday was incredible. We have another 96 hours until the race and I’m sure it won’t be an issue at all. If it had been, we wouldn’t have accepted,” Duckworth said.

“She’ll go around from a good barrier with a good jockey. She galloped this morning and galloped at Rosehill on Saturday. She hasn’t missed a single day.”

Egg Tart is currently on the second line of betting at $5 for the Epsom Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au behind the top weight Happy Clapper at $3.60.

Kerrin MvEvoy will team up again with Egg Tart after having ridden her in the Theo Marks Stakes as well as steering her to two Group 1 wins during her three year old year in the $500,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville in May and in the $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben in June.

Egg Tart had drawn the inside barrier in the Epsom Handicap and McEvoy was looking forward to a strong performance after partnering her in an exhibition gallop at Rosehill last Saturday.

“She felt pretty good,” McEvoy said.

“She has come on from her first up run and looking forward to Saturday.”

“She has a nice weight on her back at 51kg and a nice barrier, barrier one. So pretty happy with that draw.”

“She is pretty easy to ride, she is push button. She can be probably midfield from somewhere there, she has a good turn of foot when you ask her, so hopefully that will get me slicing through them when I need to be.”

“She ran well and her finishing effort was good and Deploy was up running pretty swift time on a firm track and not much was running on from the back.”

“This is a better trip for her. She was pretty dominant as a three year filly winning four or five straight there last preparation. She has to bring her A game on Saturday but I am looking forward to riding her.”

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.