Stretan Angel’s participation in a Group 1 event at Moonee Valley hinges on a crucial morning gallop at the track.
The talented mare is entered for the William Reid Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, but her trainer, Phillip Stokes, and jockey Lachlan Neindorf will decide after her workout at Moonee Valley on Tuesday.
Having never raced at The Valley before, Stokes is eager to see how she handles the circuit.
Stretan Angel has built an impressive record at Flemington, where she has contested five of her past six races. Her recent Group 1 performances include a second-place finish in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) and a third-place result in the Newmarket Handicap.
A trip to Sydney for the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill has been ruled out. Stokes explained that the mare didn’t perform at her best when racing in that direction, as evidenced by her unplaced effort in the Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick last spring.
While Stretan Angel’s wins have primarily come on straight tracks, she did secure victory around a turn at Morphettville as a two-year-old and later finished runner-up to Benedetta in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at the same venue last May.
“We expect her to line up on Saturday, but we’ll wait until Tuesday morning to make a final call,” Stokes said.
“She’s never raced at Moonee Valley before, and she clearly enjoys Flemington, so I want to see how she handles the track before committing her to the race.
“I also didn’t want to send her to Sydney. I’m still not convinced she’s suited to racing that way, so this race makes the most sense.”
Stokes is pleased with how Stretan Angel has been performing this preparation and believes she is due for a big-race victory.
He will rely on the judgment of Neindorf, who has partnered her in both starts this campaign, to determine whether she runs on Saturday.
Looking ahead, Stretan Angel may be aimed at two Group 1 assignments in Adelaide if she takes her place this weekend.
Stokes is considering the Sangster Stakes (1200m) on April 26 and The Goodwood (1200m) in mid-May at Morphettville, with little likelihood of another start in between.
“She’s had a couple of runs now, so if she runs on Saturday, we may give her a jump-out and then head into the Sangster fresh,” Stokes said.
