Trainer Chris Waller’s four acceptors had mixed fortunes in the barrier draw for the Group 1 $500,000 United Petroleum Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Egg Tart, above in red and green colours, has drawn a middle barrier in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Comin’ Through with Michael Walker hopping back in the saddle got the best result with barrier four with Omei Sword drawing next to him at five for Stephen Baster.
Damien Oliver’s mount Egg Tart drew the middle of the pack at barrier nine while professional placegetter Tom Melbourne (Glen Boss) was the worst recipient with gate fifteen in the eighteen horse field.
In an open betting race, Egg Tart and Tom Melbourne are sharing the early Toorak Handicap favouritism at $6.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au while Omei Sword and Comin’ Through are both marked at $12.
Egg Tart will be having her first race start at Caulfield in Saturday’s Toorak Handicap but Oliver said that the dual Oaks winning mare will have no trouble with the corners after riding her in a gallop alongside of Omei Sword on the Caulfield course proper on Tuesday morning.
“She worked well,” Oliver told AAP.
“She worked to the line nicely.”
Oliver and Egg Tart has combined in the past for a win at Flemington in the Autumn before she went to Adelaide with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle to win the first of her two Oaks victories in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville on May 6.
Egg Tart then made the long trek to Brisbane to win the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival before being sent for a spell.
The Sebring mare has had an interrupted Spring Carnival campaign and after running a first up second to Deploy in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on September 9, was forced to miss a run in Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick because of an eye injury.
Tom Melbourne has been runner up at last four starts, his latest behind Happy Clapper in the Epsom with Comin’ Through finishing behind him in sixth position while Omei Sword is coming off a last start third to Daysee Doom in the Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on September 23.
