Set Square will take the easier route to her main target of the Caulfield Cup when she tackles a support race at Flemington on Saturday.
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare was entered for the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) but will instead contest the Spring Is The Season Handicap (1700m).
Last season’s VRC Oaks winner is being set for next month’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Maher says he’s happy to be taking the softer option with the four-year-old.
Set Square resumed with a closing second to Abidewithme over 1400m at Caulfield on August 29 and Maher said the daughter of Reset had progressed well.
“The 1700 metres back to Flemington suits her and she gets in with a nice weight being a mare,” Maher said.
“On the back of that, she’ll have had a couple of runs in weaker company and when she gets to 2000 metres it will be more in her distance range.
“She can then go maybe to something like the Turnbull.”
The Group One Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington will be run on October 4.
Maher has programmed Set Square to be at her top for the Caulfield Cup at her fourth start, just as she was when she won the Oaks last spring.
The trainer attempted a similar path towards the Australian Oaks at Randwick in the autumn but after two placings at Flemington, Set Square finished down the track in the Vinery Stud Stakes at her Sydney debut and her campaign was aborted.
“Her aim is the Caulfield Cup and if she runs well and is going well, as she will have only had four runs, then she can progress on to the Flemington carnival,” Maher said.
Set Square has 51kg in the Caulfield Cup and shares the second line of betting at $13 behind the $9 favourite Fame Game.
