Shout The Bar to take her place in All Star Mile
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Shout The Bar has been given the all-clear to take her place in the $5 million All Star Mile (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Racing Victoria vets inspected runners on Thursday with Shout The Bar deemed ‘two-out-of-five’ lame, but after being reshod and undergoing another inspection on Friday, Shout The Bar is right to run.
Bott is looking forward to the challenge of running the mare in Australia’s only fan-voted race, although Shout The Bar was handed one of five wildcard entries by Racing Victoria.
Drawn barrier three, with Michael Walker riding for the first time, Shout The Bar is expected to be one of the front runners.
And Bott is expecting improvement on her first-up third to Chaillot in the Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 27.
“I thought she was excellent, probably the best she has gone first-up for us,” Bott said.
“She had to carry a bit of weight and it was a tough run for her first-up. In that grade, over those shorter distances, she can find them a little bit sharp.
“Stepping up to the mile is much more her preferred distance. We’re looking to see good sharp improvement and I think the track will suit her.
“She’s got the tactical speed to be forward which will be an advantage for her.”
Shout The Bar had a look around The Valley on Tuesday with Walker in the saddle and did not break the clock.
But with blinkers added on Saturday, Bott said Walker will see a different horse.
“I remember Damien Oliver rode her in a gallop before she won the Empire Rose Stakes and he wondered what he had struck,” Bott said.
“But she improved lengths with the blinkers on and won the Group 1.”