Waller’s triple treat for the Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill

While Scarlet Oak’s spring campaign didn’t live up to expectations, trainer Chris Waller remains optimistic about the filly’s prospects for this year.

Scarlet Oak made a brilliant impression with a win in The Roses (2000m) early on, but her favouritism in the Queensland Oaks (2200m) ended in disappointment when she didn’t fire and was eased out of the contest.

After finishing at the back of the pack in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), Waller had the filly undergo some scans, which revealed a neck problem.

“She wasn’t lame but we could see she just wasn’t hitting top gear,” Waller explained.

“She didn’t have a sore back so we did a scan and found the issue with her neck. She’s had extensive physio and some time off to recover.”

“She’s trialled exactly as we expected, so we’re confident she’ll be back in form.”

Scarlet Oak has been withdrawn from a benchmark race at Rosehill on Saturday and will instead run in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m), where she will compete alongside Hinged and Firestorm.

Firestorm boasts an impressive first-up record with three wins from four attempts, and Hinged returns after scoring an overdue victory in the Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last spring.

“She went to the paddock on a winning note and she’ll run a cheeky race,” Waller said about Hinged.

“Firestorm runs really well fresh and has a good draw, so she’s another one to watch.”

In the day’s feature, the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m), filly Aeliana will face star colt Broadsiding, along with the Eskimo Prince Stakes quinella of Public Attention and Linebacker.

Waller noted Aeliana wasn’t quite ready for the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) last weekend and will bypass the Surround Stakes (1400m), with the Randwick Guineas (1600m) next month as a more likely target.

“She had a late spring campaign, so she’s a little behind the fillies who ran last week,” Waller explained.

“But once she gets to a mile, she’ll be a serious contender.”