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By Ray Hickson

James McDonald is well aware there are bigger goals ahead of classy mare Verry Elleegant beyond her return at Randwick on Saturday but can only expect her to make her presence felt fresh.

Jockey James McDonald (Pic: Steve Hart)

Verry Elleegant enjoyed a stellar autumn with a Group 1 win and three Group 1 seconds and McDonald believes she’s going at least as well into the spring, ahead of the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m).

Unlike the autumn, where she was fitted with two trials, the five-year-old has been kept on the fresher side by trainer Chris Waller and McDonald said that, plus a soft track, will help her be effective over a distance well short of her major spring target.

“She gives the same feeling she did last prep which is a good indication, obviously autumn has been very favourable to her,’’ McDonald said.

“It was definitely her best preparation and I’d expect the same, she just has to come back in the spring and do it.’’

McDonald’s point about Verry Elleegant’s spring form is an interesting one and stems largely from last year where she managed to win a Hill Stakes but was disappointing otherwise.

However, her first-up ninth in the Winx Stakes last year was run on a good track while when she returned in the autumn she charged into fourth in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) on a soft 7 and set up that outstanding campaign which ended with a gallant second behind Addeybb in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Verry Elleegant was $6.50 equal favourite with TAB in the Winx and McDonald said he wouldn’t put it past the mare to steam over the top of them on Saturday.

“We expect a good run, hopefully one with a good flashing light and if she doesn’t win I expect her to be very close,’’ he said.

“There are long term goals but they have done a marvellous job to prep her for this race. She is going in fresh, there’s been no stone unturned so I have to expect a bit.’’

Sydney’s reigning premier jockey is looking forward to seeing Funstar stretch out over much further than the Group 3 $160,000 Mostyn Copper Show County Quality (1200m).

She didn’t race below 1400m in the autumn, kicking off in the Surround Stakes (1400m) where she was narrowly beaten by Probabeel, and wound up running second in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf over the Randwick mile.

Funstar holds favouritism at $3.10, and is the current Epsom Handicap favourite at $7, she’s only had the one trial and McDonald said she’s furnished nicely into her four-year-old season.

“I didn’t trial her but I’ve been on her in work and she’s been very pleasing at home,’’ he said.

“She showed she’s come back a more mature mare mentally more than anything, she’s much more relaxed.

“She’s definitely a miler, I’m probably more in the thinking like Chris that we’d love to get her over ten furlongs again and see what she can do.’’

New King wins at Rosehill on August 8

Of his other rides at Randwick, McDonald is interested to see if import New King can back up his impressive second-up win in the Heineken Handicap (1600m).

It’ll be a different task for the Matt Dale-trained son of Frankel from gate 10 over the Randwick mile compared to a rails hugging ride to win at 1500m at Rosehill two weeks ago.

But it’s clear New King, $3.50 with TAB, left an impression on McDonald.

“He’s a nice horse, he still has a bit to come,’’ he said.

“He’s doing a few things wrong in terms of missing the kick, we wouldn’t want him to do that as the races get harder. He has to take another step but he showed improvement first to second-up and I’d expect him to improve second to third run.

“I think he is going to be even better as the surfaces get better and the distances get further, I’m not saying he’s a mile and a half horse but a good ten furlong horse.’’

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting