Options remain open for Wheal Leisure
The Group One ATC Australian Oaks in Sydney or the Listed Galilee Series Final in Melbourne are the options for Wheal Leisure with her trainer still undecided which way to go.
Wheal Leisure is one of 19 nominations for Saturday’s Galilee Final (2400m) for three-year-olds at Caulfield while Archie Alexander will also accept with Wheal Leisure in Saturday’s Oaks (2400m) at Randwick.
“We’re 50/50. We’re not sure what we’re doing,” Alexander said.
“I’ll need to sit down with the owner and work it out.
“Obviously there’s a lot to play for. It’s a Group One versus a Listed race.”
He said the obvious lure of the Oaks was that it was a Group One for fillies late in the season.
“You’re only three once. That’s what’s pushing us towards Sydney but the easier and best option would be to go to that Listed race,” he said.
“But she’s already got black type.”
Wheal Leisure earned that black type with her third in the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) two starts ago before being unplaced against older horses in a 2000m-race at Flemington last start.
Acceptances for the Oaks are taken on Tuesday morning.
“Then we’ll see because we’re still not 100 per cent sure to get a run,” Alexander said.
“Obviously if she doesn’t get in, we’d be looking to go to Caulfield.
“And even if she did get in, we’ll see barriers and things like that. But it is an expensive acceptance fee.”
The trainer said weather would also be a consideration.
Alexander believes Wheal Leisure’s last start is best forgotten after she got well back in the race.
“She’s been working well since and she’s sound and healthy,” he said.
“She’s going really well.”
Wheal Leisure is at $101 in latest Oaks betting while she is one of the headline nominations for the Galilee Series Final.
“If she runs in the Listed race she would nearly be favourite and you’d say she’s a winning chance,” Alexander said.
“If she runs in the Oaks you’d be more realistic and say if she could run top four it would be amazing.
“She’s fit and well and she stays a mile-and-a-half. So there’s a lot to like about it.”