Veight kicks off Guineas campaign at Caulfield

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Veight will commence his spring campaign at Caulfield that the trainers hope will lead to a Caulfield Guineas victory.

The three-year-old runs in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, with the aim of being third up into the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14.

Veight showed his credentials in the autumn, and his Guineas potential, winning his first two starts.

After scoring at Pakenham on debut, Veight went on to claim the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in March before travelling to Sydney.

Not appreciating the heavy ground, Veight still managed to finish fourth in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) before going for a spell.

Calvin McMcEvoy said Veight had been taken along slowly in his build-up to the spring with the aim of having the colt at his peak for the Caulfield Guineas.

He said nothing should be read into Veight’s seventh in a Cranbourne 800m trial on August 7 as Veight followed up eight days later with a jump-out at Bendigo which pleased the stable.

“His trial was meant to move onto fresh ground but because the track was a bit patchy, they didn’t move it,” McEvoy said.

“So, we protected him. It was his first trial, but when you’ve got a nice horse and when they get beaten 10 lengths, they go ‘whoa’, but they don’t ask other trainers those questions about it when it happens.

“I thought at Bendigo it was a nice trial, and he’s had a couple of gallops since.

“We’ve just kept him fairly fresh going into his first run knowing he’s going to improve out of it.

“We’re very pleased with where he is at.”

McEvoy said Veight would proceed to the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 23 before the Caulfield Guineas three weeks later.