The First Lady Of The Australian Turf Gai Waterhouse is looking for another win in the 2019 Listed $200,000 VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on Thursday with three year old Transact.
Stars Of Carrum, above, is the favourite for the 2019 VRC St Leger at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Waterhouse has won three of the last six runnings of the VRC St Leger, her latest journey to the winner’s stall with last year year’s winner Runaway was shared with co-trainer Adrian Bott.
Waterhouse’s previous two winners under her own name were Hippopus (2013) and Order Of The Sun (2014).
Transact has been racing consistently with three placings from his last three starts and Bott said that the Dundeel gelding has been targeted towards the VRC St Leger.
“It’s a race we like to target each year and having the stable down in Melbourne the past few years has really helped us achieve that and bring the right types of horses down there from Sydney,” Bott told AAP.
“I think we’ve got the right type of horse again this year in Transact.”
Transact is coming off a last start second to Secret Blaze in the Listed $150,000 Thoroughbred Club Galilee Series Final over 2425m at Caulfield on April 13 and Bott said that the promising stayer will appreciate the step up to the 2800m of the VRC St Leger.
“He’s just an out-and-out stayer,” Bott said.
“That’s probably why a race like the St Leger is ideal for him.
“He might not have the natural brilliance over those shorter trips. He doesn’t quite have that turn of foot but he’s very tough and he’s very honest. He can stay.
“A good staying test like this for the three-year-olds is what he needs. He puts himself on the pace and he will just grind away.
“Hopefully he can just outstay them and out-slog them.”
Melbourne based jockey Luke Currie replaces the injured Linda Meech on Transact who has drawn barrier ten in the sixteen horse VRC St Leger field.
The 2018 Victoria Derby runner-up Stars Of Carrum is the early favourite for the VRC St Leger at $2.15 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Transact who is marked at $5.50.
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