Chris Waller’s dual Oaks winner Egg Tart has been described by hoop Kerrin McEvoy as a “champagne bottle waiting to pop”, and she gets the chance to do so first-up this weekend in the 2017 Theo Marks Stakes.
Egg Tart, above, in red and green colours, is set to resume in the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
The daughter of Sebring was nominated but not accepted for last weekend’s Tramway Stakes, subsequently won by Epsom Handicap-bound Happy Clapper.
Waller instead saved the mare for her new season and four-year-old debut this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).
In the Theo Marks Stakes, Egg Tart will be out to add to her imposing record that stands at six wins and a third from eight runs to date.
She has already won close to $800,000 in prize money thanks to her elite level wins in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) in Brisbane at the end of last prep.
Since the Queensland Oaks on June 3 Egg Tart has had two official trials, the latest seeing her finish second to Veladero over 1000m at Warwick Farm with Brenton Avdulla aboard for the heat.
McEvoy will take over in the saddle on Saturday reuniting with the mare he rode to victory in both Oaks races over the winter.
He is full of early confidence too, believing Egg Tart capable of big things this spring racing season after putting her through her paces in an exhibition gallop between races at Randwick on Saturday.
“She feels like she has strengthened up, which you’d expect now she’s turned four,” McEvoy, who enjoyed a career best five wins at the Randwick meeting, told Racing NSW.
“The [earlier] trial showed she was full of energy and I’m sure if Brenton had pushed the button on the day she’d trial even better.”
The mare holds nominations for all the upcoming majors in Melbourne including the Group 1 $3 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28.
The past two editions of the Cox Plate have been dominated by her superlative stablemate Winx who made it 19 wins on the trot in a thrilling late effort at Randwick in last weekend’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).
Winx is now at $1.50 in all-in Cox Plate odds through Ladbrokes.com.au to make history and become the first triple winner of the weight-for-age championship since Kingston Town (1980-82).
Two years ago, Winx backed up from her 2015 Queensland Oaks success to take out the Theo Marks Stakes first-up as Egg Tart is out to emulate this Saturday.
From there plans are to likely keep Egg Tart on the same path into the Cox Plate as Winx that year with a second-up run in the Group 1 $1 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 30.
“She’s like a champagne bottle waiting to pop the cork,” McEvoy said of Egg Tart.
Futures Epsom Handicap 2017 odds have Egg Tart installed as the $5 favourite ahead of Happy Clapper ($9).
As for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate markets, the mare is at $34 to upset Winx who also just was crowed the Victorian Racehorse of the Year.
To back Waller’s spring stars at the right price head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.