Veight favourite in first WFA test in the Australia Stakes

Following a fruitful Spring preparation which included a win in the McNeil Stakes and a runner-up performance in the Caulfield Guineas, Tony &amp; Calvin McEvoy’s star three-year-old Veight is set to tackle the older horses for the first time in Saturday’s Group 2 Sharp EIT Solutions Australia Stakes at The Valley. The son of Grunt had his first look around the course on Tuesday morning, sitting off stablemate Bill The Boxer before joining in on the home turn and narrowly edging him out in the latter stages.&nbsp; Trainer Tony McEvoy said the gallop was more about getting a feel for The Valley than it was about completing any serious piece of work, and despite not having a public jumpout or trial, says he is forward enough for his first up assignment on Saturday. “He’s pretty forward. He’s had a couple of private jumpouts and we’ve been really pleased with him,” McEvoy said. “I thought today, just a bit of a familiarising gallop around The Valley would top him off nicely for the weekend.” Punters haven’t seen Veight since the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in November. He finished a gallant 5th there after dropping back to 1200 metres from the mile in the Caulfield Guineas, and the McEvoy camp are confident he has made the necessary improvements to tackle Weight For Age company after returning from a spell. &nbsp;&nbsp; “He’s furnished out really well. He looks like he’s a man now, and he went out as a bit of a boy. “He’s just done all the things you want to see your three-year-olds do, from the Spring coming into the Autumn. We’re really pleased with him, and we think he’s come back a better horse. “I think he can win. He’s taking on the older horses this time around so they have to come back and make that step, but he looks to have improved for us and he’s forward enough to win this weekend.” McEvoy confirmed the decision to tackle the older horses this Saturday at The Valley and baulk the Manfred Stakes restricted to three-year-olds at Caulfield on Friday, admitting likely opposition in both races did sway the team’s final verdict. “I just thought the older horses were an even bunch, and I didn’t think there was a standout horse, and Steparty (racing in the Manfred) just could be a standout horse. “There’s going to be plenty of times where we can clash with him, and both myself, Calvin and Damian Lane were all happy once we saw the noms to go this way.” Veight could run in the CF Orr Stakes and the Futurity Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield next month, before tackling an Australian Guineas over the mile in March, a race the stable won with four-time Group 1 winner Hey Doc in 2017. Hey Doc ultimately went on to become one of the country’s top-line sprinters, winning the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes twice and posting a new 1200 metre track record, which still stands at 1:08.76.<div> &nbsp;</div><div>McEvoy says the optimal trip for Veight on current form remains somewhere in between the sprint distance and the mile, with his victory in the Sires Produce over 1400 metres last Autumn still the pick of his three to date. “I think he’s very good at 1200, but 1400, his win in the Sires was his best run so far, and even though he didn’t run the mile of the Caulfield Guineas, I think now that he’s grown up a bit, the Australian Guineas is still a target for us, mile again, which is the race Hey Doc won. “So I’m hoping he can be a really good sprinter-miler for us, but 1400, the Orr Stakes is probably the ideal race for him this prep.” Veight is currently installed as the $2.70 Ladbrokes all-in favourite for Saturday’s Sharp EIT Solutions Australia Stakes as of Tuesday afternoon, followed by Ciaron Maher’s Recommendation at $4</div>