Waller to choose Queen Elizabeth team

Sunday 5 April 2020, 6:56pm

Chris Waller will assess the stable's Doncaster Mile runners before committing any to back up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Waller-trained Verry Elleegant is a confirmed runner after her last-start win in the Group One Tancred Stakes on March 28 and will be ridden by Nash Rawiller.

That victory came on the back of the mare's fighting second to English visitor Addeybb who is the equal favourite for Saturday's Group One Queen Elizabeth (2000m) won for the past three years by the Waller-trained champion Winx.

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the signature race on the second day of The Championships being held at Randwick behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stablemates in the mix are Kings Will Dream (5th in Doncaster), Kolding (7th) and Shared Ambition (14th) along with Life Less Ordinary who did not race on Saturday.

"Shared Ambition is unlikely but we will looked at them all on Monday," Waller said.

"With James McDonald riding the Japanese horse Danon Premium, Nash Rawiller rides Verry Elleegant.

"Our only two likely Oaks runners are Toffee Tongue and Nudge while in the Coolmore Legacy our runners are likely to be Danzdanzdance, Noire and Funstar."

Toffee Tongue has finished second at her past three starts including Saturday's Group Three Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m), a traditional lead-up to the Australian Oaks.

The Adrian Knox was won by Godolphin filly Collette who has now assumed favuortism for the Oaks.

She is at $3 ahead of New Zealand filly Probabeel at $4.50.

The Waller-trained Betcha Flying, fourth in the Adrain Knox, will be set for the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide.

With Funstar running in the Coolmore Legacy (Queen Of The Turf) there will be no more autumn clashes between her and Probabeel who ran second to Shout The Bar in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).

Nudge finished third in the Vinery and Funstar fourth.

Waller has trained the past two winners of the ATC Oaks, Unforgotten in 2018 and Verry Elleegant last year.

The trainer has also indicated TJ Smith Stakes winner Nature Strip will not run again in the autumn, ruling out the All Aged Stakes on Saturday week.

– AAP

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