Provisional autumn plans will turn into something more definitive if Estonian Princess ends her campaign on a winning note in the $175,000 Villiers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Instead of having one of the better fillies and mares races as her target during The Championships, Estonian Princess could have her autumn tailored towards the Doncaster Mile.
But she needs to win for the first time at the sixth start of a racing campaign that, with even luck, could already have left her rated among Australia’s best racemares.
The Villiers winner is given a free ride into the $3 million Doncaster and trainer Scott Aspery wants part of the action with the horse which has done more for his stable than any other.
“It would be nice for us to get a win in the Villiers, send her out with that on the board as a reward for her consistency over the preparation,” Aspery said.
“The carrot with the Villiers is the Doncaster exemption. That would be nice to have in the back pocket for the autumn.
“Obviously there is the Queen Of The Turf Stakes for her but if she wins the Villiers, the Doncaster is there.
“And you’re not under pressure to qualify and move up the order of entry to get into a race like that because, with the prize money the way it is for the autumn now, everybody wants to get into a race like the Doncaster.”
Estonian Princess is one of the Villiers favourites after being edged out by I’m Imposing in a Festival Stakes result Aspery says should have gone her way.
“There is a kilo-and-a-half turnaround in her favour and it’s a benefit to her but I honestly think if she had clear running in the Festival she would have won that and won it quite convincingly,” Aspery said.
Brenton Avdulla returns from suspension to ride Estonian Princess which has been firm throughout early betting as an $8 chance.
Randwick was rated in the soft range after a Thursday morning inspection with more rain forecast in the lead-up to the Villiers’ return to the Randwick course proper for the first time since 2010.
Estonian Princess is rated a better racehorse on top of the ground but Aspery says he has no concerns as long as the going doesn’t get worse.
Early favourite Sir Moments ($4.60) has drawn wide but rank-and-file punters have rallied behind the Queenslander because of his liking for rain-affected going.
Strawberry Boy, Rudy, Multilateral and Kaypers also profile strongly as wet trackers.
