An unfortunate stable accident that put a staff member in hospital had Perth trainer Simon Miller hoping he might have a potential star.
Miller trains Whispering Brook, a winner of five of her six starts, who is having her second Melbourne start in the Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday.
Miller said the filly left the stablehand in hospital with broken ribs.
“You go get her at four in the morning or two in the afternoon and she’s fine but go and get her at other times, she can get angry,” Miller said.
“She’s thinking ‘you’ve had your time with me, now leave me alone’.
“When she put one of my staff members in hospital it was devastating but then I was thinking she might be all right.”
Whispering Brook has become more than all right. She is unbeaten in Perth and ran second in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 3.
Miller went home to Perth following the Moonee Valley performance, missing her gallop with Under The Louvre on Tuesday morning.
But he was buoyed by reports of the work-out and pleased with her condition when he returned to Melbourne.
“I’m surprised at how much she has picked up coat wise,” Miller said.
“She’s gone in the right direction coming off a hard run.”
Miller said the filly was vulnerable first-up at Moonee Valley and would appreciate the step up to 1400m on Saturday.
He said drawing barrier 12 leaves jockey Nick Hall little option but to go forward.
“There doesn’t look to be too much speed and she led them at the Valley so I’m pretty sure she can lead them here,” Miller said.
Whispering Brook has top weight of 58.5kg in the Prelude but will meet her opposition on level terms in the Thousand Guineas two weeks later.
The Thousand Guineas will determine whether Whispering Brook heads to the VRC Oaks or is freshened for something shorter over Melbourne Cup week.
