Bruno Cannatelli
Darren Weir has strengthened his hand in the VRC Oaks after Verry Elleegant scored a brave win in the Gr.3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Verry Elleegant jumped to the top of Oaks betting at $2.50 following her win in Saturday's 2000m race for three-year-old fillies, displacing stablemate Amphitrite, last week's Thousand Guineas winner, who now is the $5 second pick.
Weir said he now needed to plot the right path towards the Oaks with Verry Elleegant who has
only had two starts for the stable after arriving from New Zealand where she was trained by Nick Bishara.
Ridden by John Allen, Verry Elleegant, the $2.35 favourite, scored a half-length win from Aristia.
Weir said options included running the filly at Moonee Valley in The Vase (2040m) next Saturday or the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 3.
"There's not a lot of her," Weir said.
"I thought she looked good in the yard today compared to last time but is she the sort of horse that can back up five days after the Wakeful, I don't know.
"I don't know what to do, but it's a nice problem.
"If she doesn't get to this Oaks, there's plenty of other Oaks races, so maybe we might hold our breath and go straight to the Oaks off that."
Weir said he was unsure if Verry Elleegant would handle the 2500m of the Oaks.
"She got the 2000m alright but the extra 500, you don't know until they do it," Weir said.
"It was the perfect Oaks trial yes, but 2200 to 2300, 2300 to 2400, they're big rises.
"I would say yes, but sometimes it's not as simple as that." -AAP