Slightly Sweet is most likely headed to the broodmare barn in the spring but will be given the chance to add Sydney’s final stakes race for the season to her record.
The Jason Coyle-trained mare claimed her first win for more than two years in the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill on July 15 after running third in the Civic Stakes two weeks earlier.
Now she is back to her winning ways, Coyle would like to see her continue but that decision will be made by the Esplin family who own the mare.
There were 19 entries taken on Monday for the Winter Challenge (1500m) headed by Civic Stakes winner Gold Symphony and veteran Ninth Legion who is also entered for a 1350m open handicap at Doomben.
Saturday’s Flemington winner Dulverton has been nominated and is also entered for a 1700m-race at Caulfield.
The Winter Challenge has a maximum field size of 20.
Chris Waller has entered Winter Stakes third-placed Elle Lou, last-start Warwick Farm winner Liapari and Marenostro who won the Listed Winter Challenge last year.
“We may just have Elle Lou and Liapari,” Waller said.
The trainer will see how Marenostro comes through the week before deciding whether he backs up seven days after his second-last in Saturday’s 1800m-handicap won by the talented Sound Proposition.
Shiraz, who finished fourth in the Winter Stakes is also entered for Saturday after an unusual display at his last start.
Vision showed Shiraz turning his head to try to bite Burning Passion but trainer Kim Waugh also posted a picture on Twitter of that horse’s jockey Josh Parr accidentally hitting Shiraz on the head with his whip.
The season’s last metropolitan Saturday meeting of the season attracted more than 150 nominations.
