Chris Waller believes dual Group One winner Egg Tart is finally poised to recapture her three-year-old form at elite level in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.
Considered a rising star after winning the Schweppes Oaks and Queensland Oaks last year, her momentum was halted by an eye infection in the spring.
Waller said a lack of appetite also contributed to her winless spring campaign but Sydney’s premier trainer felt Egg Tart was back to her best during a luckless comeback in the Group Three Liverpool City Cup (1300m) earlier this month.
Egg Tart had a torrid run before winding up late for fourth, a length behind the winner Crack Me Up.
“The horse is spot-on. The first-up run was terrific and she finished off very well,” Waller said.
He said Saturday’s Group One 1500m-feature worked in perfectly with Egg Tart’s program.
Drawing barrier three and the services of Kerrin McEvoy were other advantages although Waller would have preferred a kilo less than 55.5kg.
Rosehill was in the soft range on Friday and providing there was not a significant upgrade Egg Tart appeared well-placed as the TAB’s $5.50 favourite on Friday.
“She’s pretty versatile, anything from a (good) 4 to a (heavy) 10 wouldn’t be a problem,” Waller said.
He said Egg Tart’s struggled on firm tracks in Melbourne last spring.
“I just think those really firm tracks might have got to her a bit and the eye infection maybe took a bit more out of her than we thought.”
Waller admitted Egg Tart faced a stiff challenge to win her first open age Group One race.
“It’s a genuine handicap field with some well-performed horses that are in pretty well at the weights and horses like us that are Group One winners,” he said.
The Ron Quinton-trained Dixie Blossoms was the TAB’s second elect at $6.50 followed by Godolphin’s Raiment ($7).
Heavens Above produced a Coolmore upset last year at $26 and the Tim Martin-trained mare is at $19 to become the first back-to-back winner.
