Trainer Michael Mehegan is banking on consistent filly Prussian Vixen breaking through at Caulfield to give him a first city win.
While Prussian Vixen’s victory at Mornington on April 2 gave the filly status as a metropolitan winner, the closest Mehegan has come in the city area is placings at Moonee Valley and Sandown.
“That last win counts as a metro win but it’s not the same as winning in town,” Mehegan said.
Mehegan admits he is concerned a long campaign may have taken its toll ahead of Saturday’s Sandown Park Handicap (1100m).
“This will be her ninth start for the preparation and while she hasn’t shown any signs of training off, the question is just how many runs does she have left,” he said.
Mehegan is a horse-breaker who switched to training after suffering serious leg injuries and he is also a co-owner of Prussian Vixen.
The filly meets the runner-up Stoker and fourth placegetter Just Got Lucky from the Mornington race again and Mehegan will use Jordan Childs’ 2kg claim to bring her in with 55kg.
“To get any advantage we need to claim against the boys even though she’s been doing everything consistently,” Mehegan said.
“She’s pretty tough as I thought she was entitled to fold a bit easier than she did last time after the work she did early.”
Again the draw has been unkind to Prussian Vixen who will come into barrier nine if the emergencies don’t gain a start on a track that has the rail out 12 metres.
Prussian Vixen is a $15 chance with Invincible Heart and Stoker sharing favouritism at $5.
