Veight shines at Moonee Valley
given another opportunity to add a Group 1 to his record this preparation after he made a winning return in the Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Moonee Valley yesterday.
The colt became the first three-year-old to win the Group 2 since Holler (Commands) in 2016 when he defeated the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) by a head, while the runner-up’s stablemate, Recommendation (Shalaa), was the same distance away in third.
“We’ve really noticed him switch on over the last four or five days,” Calvin McEvoy said. “I think the trip here on Tuesday was crucial in that. Once he got home from that, he had his chest puffed out.
“He had to chase today, but he really knuckled down there and that is what you want to see these good colts do.
“He’s proved himself against the older horses now and let’s hope he can go and do that again next start.”
A winner of the VRC Sires’ Produce (Gr 2, 1400m) as a two-year-old, Veight opened his three-year-old account with a victory in the McNeil Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and after finishing second in the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), the colt was last sighted running fifth in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
McEvoy said the colt could now be aimed at a crack at the CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield on February 10 and the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at the same track two weeks’ later.
The trainer revealed the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington on March 2 and the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) a week later, would also come into consideration.
“He’s pretty explosive at these 1200 and 1400-metre trips, so it’s exciting,” McEvoy said.