Blue Stratum likely to back-up in Vain Stakes

All Blue Stratum needs is a good week, and the Tony and Calvin McEvoy -trained colt could be seen in a Stakes race at Caulfield.

The Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield next Saturday is likely to be Blue Stratum’s next outing after he held-on to win the Dominant Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Ridden by Beau Mertens, Blue Stratum ($6.50) held on to score by a nose from the fast-finishing Last Druid ($6.50) with Immortal Star ($5.50) a long neck away third.

Tony McEvoy said he was reluctant to step Blue Stratum up to 1200m at this stage of his campaign and prefers the idea of keeping him to slightly shorter trips.

“He’s pulled-up beautiful. He’s only got to eat up at home and he’ll be there,” McEvoy said.

“He was lovely and clean in the lungs and his body didn’t come up too much, so I think next week is a good opportunity if he does well.

“So, we might run him next week in the Vain and then later on in the Poseidon Stakes (1100m at Flemington) and he has run very well down the straight when he ran second in the Maribyrnong, so I think we’ll keep him shorter than 1200 (metres) at the moment.”

McEvoy took advantage of galloping Blue Stratum to Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.

The Ballarat-based trainer said that was a big plus in the colt landing the prize on Saturday.

“I think it is important to familiarise these young horses,” McEvoy said.

“I worked him on his own because he actually learned more on his own, as if they have a mate, they can rely on them too much and he raced really well, and Beau rode him beautifully.

“I think he really enjoyed the place and quickened off that bend and held on which was important.

“I said to Beau, don’t just hand it to them, make them do some work and he made The Showvinist do a little bit, and he made them do enough and they finished behind him.

“The one that nearly got us, came from off the back, so it was a clever ride.”