Legarto set for Flemington return

[Wandering Eyes]

In daunting news for her spring rivals, Australian Guineas winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) will return a bigger and stronger version again in the new season as connections target a possible return during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Co-trainer Ken Kelso said on Wednesday that the already sizeable filly has grown into a formidable athlete over her winter break and quickly showed her class with her first light gallop at Matamata on Tuesday.

“She’s bigger and stronger than what she was then,” Kelso said of the dual Group 1 winner. “She’s really developed and she looks amazing.

“She had her first stretch of the legs yesterday at Matamata going three-quarter pace and we’re all very happy.”

Legarto took her record to six wins from seven starts with her super G1 Australian Guineas win at Flemington in March, before Kelso and wife Bev sent her for an early autumn spell to give her every chance to blossom again in the spring.

“She came back in (work) on May the first as I wanted to get her in before the weather deteriorated and it’s been pretty wet here the last couple of weeks,” Kelso said.

Kelso said connections are contemplating a spring kick-off in Melbourne in the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 16, before considering an array of options for the Proisir mare.

“She’ll definitely have a couple of trials before she races either here first-up or in Melbourne,” he said. “She’ll definitely start off (the spring) in Melbourne, but we’ve got so many options with her from there.

“There’s the Champion Stakes (at Flemington) on final day and there’s the mares’ G1 over a mile at Flemington (Empire Rose Stakes) and then there’s the Cox Plate and Golden Eagle to think about but we’ll just work it out as we go.”

Legarto won the Australian Guineas by unleashing an amazing final sprint for former New Zealand jockey Michael Dee, who has first claims on the spring ride.

“He’s called a few times about her, so I think he’s pretty keen to stick with her,” Kelso said.

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