Espionage to take G1 Oakleigh Plate shot

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable has chosen a pure speed test at Caulfield to kick off the three-year-old campaign of Espionage.

The Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Saturday will be the return run for the Zoustar colt who missed a spring campaign following a small set-back after trialling at Randwick last August.

Bott said that problem was well behind Espionage who has had two trials in preparation for Saturday’s return along with a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.

Espionage has been in Melbourne for around three weeks and trialled up the straight at Flemington on February 7, finishing second to Traffic Warden that was made up Lightning Stakes contenders.

Bott said it had been originally planned to start Espionage in the Lightning Stakes, but felt running in a handicap as against more experience weight-for-age performers would be more beneficial at this stage of the colt’s career.

Espionage has 50kg on Saturday and will be ridden by Dean Yendall.

“He had a small setback last time he was in work where he got to the trials but then we had to tip him out,” Bott said.

“We haven’t seen as much of him as we would have liked, and that weighed into one of the factors as to why he didn’t take his place in the Lightning at weight-for-age being a relatively inexperienced horse for where he’s at this stage of his career.

“His ability suggests that he can get there at some point, but we were probably a preparation behind in terms of having that three-year-old spring campaign to get him to where we wanted him to be.

“His two-year-old form was excellent, and I would say he’s a better three-year-old now, so it’s good to have him back.”

Espionage has been at Waterhouse and Bott’s Flemington stable for just shy of three weeks with Saturday’s outing in the Oakleigh Plate a lead in for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8.

“He’s had a bit of time down here to get settled in, get the prep right,” Bott said.

“He should be well placed in the Newmarket. That was the thinking of potentially running in the Lightning, but he’s had that trial down there now and he trialled great up the straight.”