Champion trainer Chris Waller remains confident Egg Tart will take her place in Saturday's Epsom Handicap at Randwick despite the four-year-old mare being ruled unsuitable to race by Racing NSW veterinarian Craig Suann on Tuesday.
The Epsom $5 second-favourite drew ideally in barrier one, but an eye irritation threatens to keep her out of the race she has targeted this spring.
"There was no issue with her working with Foxplay [on Tuesday morning] and they matched each other in the gallop," Waller said. "She hasn't missed any work because of the problem and we believe she will be right to take her place in the race. She is improving all the time."
The Waller stable reported the issue to stewards at acceptance time as required, despite the mare suffering the problem since her first-up run in the Theo Marks Stakes three weeks ago.
Suann was asked by stewards to inspect Egg Tart. He ruled she wouldn't have been able to suit and will inspect her again on Thursday to see if the problem has persisted.
Egg Tart has been at the top of Epsom betting since it began and lost no admirers chasing home Deploy in the Theo Marks in record time at her return.
The Waller stable has been managing the problem including treatment from an eye specialist. She has been taking anti-inflammatories and antibiotics and the problem has improved since last week.
Kerrin McEvoy will ride dual Oaks winner Egg Tart, who has 51 kilograms in the Epsom. He was impressed by the mare when she worked in pacifiers at Rosehill on Saturday.
"It was good work on Saturday and she seemed very well," McEvoy said. "She has certainly improved since her first-up effort.
"She has a good draw and will be right in the race. We know the ability she has and the turn of foot she possesses, which should help her at this level.
"It is a big step from three-year-old company to this open company group 1 and you don't really know whether they will step up until they have done it. But she gives the indication that she will handle it."
The Waller stable will have five Epsom runners but didn't fair too well at the barrier draw with Comin' Through, Tom Melbourne and Foxplay getting the outside three barriers in the field of 14.
Topweight and favourite Happy Clapper was backed from $3.60 to $3.20 after he came with gate four, exactly where trainer Pat Webster wanted to draw. He is coming off a first-up win in the Tramway Stakes followed by stretching Winx in the George Main Stakes two weeks ago over the Randwick mile.
"He is perhaps in the best condition of his career and even with topweight they are going to know he is around," Webster said.
Meanwhile, Waller has the top three in betting for the Metropolitan with Kingston Town Stakes winner Libran and Life Less Ordinary equal favourites at $5.50, ahead of stablemate Antonio Giuseppe, who shares the second line of betting at $6 with Big Duke.
Epsom Handicap 1600 metres
1 Happy Clapper 4 B Shinn 57 $3.20
2 Foxplay 14 H Bowman 54.5 $10
3 Sound Proposition 10 C Brown 54 $13
4 He's Our Rokkii 5 D Dunn 53.5 $17
5 Red Excitement 3 B Avdulla 53.5 $16
6 McCreery 7 T Berry 53 $16
7 I Am Star 2 D Yendall 52.5 $26
8 Zanbagh 9 D Lane 52.5 $17
9 Tom Melbourne 13 G Boss 52 $9
10 Egg Tart 1 K McEvoy 51 $5
11 Comin' Through 12 J Moreira 51 $8
12 Saville Row 8 J Ford 51 $61
13 Snitzson 6 C Parish 50.5 $61
14 Embley 11 A Atkins 50.5 $101
The Metropolitan 2400 metres
1 Libran 3 G Schofield 57 $5.50
2 Who Shot Thebarman 2 H Bowman 57 $13
3 Destiny's Kiss 7 J Collett 55.5 $26
4 Amralah 12 B Melham 55 $17
5 Big Duke 6 B Avdulla 55 $6
6 Antonio Giuseppe 4 J Moreira 54.5 $6
7 Chocante 1 C Brown 54.5 $15
8 Broadside 9 T Clark 52 $9
9 Life Less Ordinary 11 K McEvoy 51 $5.50
10 Foundry 8 M Dee 50.5 $9
11 Loresho 10 - 50 $51
12 My Diamantine 5 A Spinks 50 $101
*Markets provided by SportsBet
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