General Beau’s Sir John Monash Stakes barrier blow

If Mathew Ellerton had his time over again, he probably would have started General Beau in last week’s Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final at his home track.

Instead, the four-year-old runs this Saturday at Caulfield, in a $200,000 Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) that has come up stronger than the Flemington horseman expected.

Adding to Ellerton’s pain is that General Beau has come up with the outside alley in the field that is down to 12 after the scratching of Zac De Boss.

“We tossed up whether we ran him in that final last week or wait a week and go to weight-for-age and I suppose after drawing 13 we probably should have run the week before,” Ellerton said.

“We had a better track last week, too. It’s a pretty strong race. It’s not an off-season Group 3.”

Sigh, the in-form mare who defeated General Beau last start, is among his rivals along with defending champion Mileva, $1.75 million earner Ingratiating, dashing Sydneysider Malkovich, the progressive Katsu and multiple Group 3-winning mare Flying Mascot.

The second placing to Sigh at Flemington on June 17 was General Beau’s first appearance since his 10th placing in the Group 1 The Goodwood on May 20 and Ellerton was encouraged by what he saw from the gelding.

“I don’t know whether he applied himself 100 percent in The Goodwood but he definitely had a go when he ran down the straight and was probably just beaten by a better mare with the weight swing,” Ellerton said.

General Beau meets Sigh four kilograms better for that meeting with Peter Moody’s four-year-old up from 54kg to 56.5kg and General Beau dropping from 60kg to 58.5kg.

General Beau will be ridden by Dean Yendall in his return to Caulfield, the stage for three of his four career wins, including a Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude win over Anamoe.