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Star mare to bounce back

Jockey Damian Lane is confident nine-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant  can bounce back to her best in Saturday's A$5 million Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) after impressing in a track gallop at Breakfast with the Best at The Valley on Tuesday morning.

The New Zealand-bred six-year-old finished fourth in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) won by Incentivise, a sub-par performance by her lofty standards.

"She'll be right, she's a champion, and she won't stay down for too long," Lane told Racing.com.

"She seems to have come through her Turnbull run in good order and I'm happy with where she's at ahead of Saturday."

Verry Elleegant at times appeared a tad keen during a piece of work with stablemate Djukon on Saturday, but after this morning's solo gallop Lane is happy with where the horse is at.

"She was very good Saturday, she worked with a mate, she got very keen," he said.

"Today was more of a maintenance gallop, but I thought she was in even better order today.

"Certainly a thumbs up from this morning."

The Chris Waller-trained mare should be suited by barrier 9 in the select field of 10 for the Cox Plate, with the daughter of Zed, who is raced by a number of Kiwis including her breeder Don Goodwin and original trainer Nick Bishara, rated a $7 chance of landing the spoils.

Flemington plans for Amarelinha

High-class four-year-old mare Amarelinha  has headed to Melbourne to chase a Group One target in preference to the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m).

The Jamie Richards-trained daughter of Savabeel finished eighth in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) fresh-up behind Atishu and was sixth in the Gr.3 Angst Stakes (1600m) last start.

"She's just had no luck. She got shuffled back to last at her first run over there and then got caught three deep with no cover with the big weight last time," Richards said.

"I thought she stuck to her guns quite well. James (McDonald, jockey) was a bit critical of his ride getting caught deep. He said she didn't run that badly.

"We have put her on a truck to Melbourne and she will run in the Empire Rose (Gr.1, 1600m) and more than likely she will back up in the Matriarch (Gr.2, 2000m) a week later."

A $300,000 Karaka purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis, Amarelinha was last season's New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, where her pin-up victory came in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Mav in with a shout

Callsign Mav  will have to rise to a new level to be competitive in Saturday's Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley, but his regular New Zealand rider isn't counting out the star of the Hawke's Bay spring carnival.

Callsign Mav successfully defended his Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) title at Hastings before claiming the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) in the hands of Jonathan Riddell for trainer John Bary.

"I'm quite excited for the horse and I'm sure he won't disgrace himself. The owners want to have a go and good on them," Riddell said.

Riddell has ridden Callsign Mav on 10 occasions and was aboard in all three of the gelding's top-flight victories as well as an open handicap success, three Group One placings and a further two at Group Two level.

Callsign Mav will be taking on a star-studded line-up, including glamour three-year-old Anamoe, elite weight-for-age winners Zaaki, Verry Elleegant and Probabeel and internationals Gold Trip and State Of Rest, but Riddell is staying on side.

"I'll be really interested to see how he goes and if he's good enough for them, it wouldn't surprise me if he is," he said.

Luke Nolen will ride Callsign Mav, who has drawn barrier 5.