Consistent Deploy on song for Theo Marks

Deploy goes to the Theo Marks Stakes after a win in the Show County Quality.

The Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill will be a defining race for the in-form Deploy.

Trainer Gerald Ryan will assess how tracks in Sydney and Melbourne are playing over the next few weeks before deciding where the gelding will go.

“I’m not going to run him on rock-hard tracks and I think our tracks in Sydney have a bit more give in them,” Ryan said.

“We have looked at the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield but the track was very firm on Saturday.

“He may go to the Shannon Stakes and then up to 1600 metres for the Epsom or we might freshen him up and go in something shorter.

“There are options for a horse like him.”

Deploy, who is raced by a group headed by Torryburn Stud’s John Cornish, has had 15 starts for seven wins and eight minor placings and goes to his next race off a last-start win in the Group Three Show County Quality (1200m).

He has won at 1400 metres but has yet to be tested beyond that distance.

The gelding is one of 12 entries for the Theo Marks (1300m) with rival Rosehill trainer Chris Waller responsible for three – Egg Tart, Foxplay and Omei Sword.

Dual Oaks winner Egg Tart will be having her first start since she won the Queensland Classic in early June.

She had a day out at Randwick last Saturday ahead of a short spring program.

After the Theo Marks she will run in the Epsom, a pattern followed by her illustrious stablemate Winx two years ago before she won her first Cox Plate.

Whether Egg Tart goes to the weight-for-age championship remains to be seen with Waller keen to give her an abbreviated campaign with a view to the autumn.

Egg Tart is the early $2.60 favourite for the Theo Marks ahead of her stablemate Foxplay at $3.80 and Deploy at $6.

Foxplay ran second to superstar stablemate Winx in the Warwick Stakes on August 19 at her first start since she won the Group One Queen of the Turf Stakes in April.