The weather is Sydney will have a bearing on whether up-and-coming filly Montoya’s Secret makes an interstate trip to run in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill.
Co-trainer Troy Corstens said on Monday it was probably “70-30” in favour running in the Vinery on Saturday but he also has the three-year-old nominated for Friday night’s Group Three Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and two other Victorian races this weekend.
Montoya’s Secret was a 4-1/2 length winner over 1600m at Moonee Valley in a benchmark-64 for fillies on March 13 after breaking her maiden by three lengths at Pakenham.
Rosehill was rated a Heavy 10 for the Golden Slipper meeting on Saturday and Melbourne-based Corstens will be monitoring the weather and track conditions this week.
“If it was a soft track I’d say 100 per cent we’re coming up but I’m very mindful that I don’t really want to bottom her out on a heavy track,” Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon, said.
“It’s obviously a monumental jump from a benchmark 64 at Moonee Valley on a Monday to a Group One, then add on top of that a heavy track and also a float trip to Sydney.
“I’ve just got to weigh all that up and decide whether it’s worth having a crack or whether we just stay down here.”
Corstens said Montoya’s Secret was a filly with “a good deal of talent” and he was likely to accept with her for the Vinery and the Alexandra Stakes and make a call on Thursday.
Noel Callow would ride the filly in the Vinery, which has 20 nominations.
The Chris Waller-trained pair of Foxplay and Dawn Wall occupy the top two lines of betting for the Vinery at $4.60 and $6 respectively in an early markets at Sports Bet.
