Valley test preferred for resuming Gweneth

Trainer Mitchell Beer has kept a close eye on the wet weather that’s been sweeping Victoria.

The prospects of firmer footing at Moonee Valley over that at Albury on Monday means Gweneth will resume in the Epi Cafe Plate on Saturday.

“I think going to Albury on Monday would have been an easy kill but the heavy (track) has frightened me off and her record at Moonee Valley from wide barriers is good,” Beer said.

Gweneth hasn’t raced since finishing last at Sandown in December but she did win while fresh over Saturday’s course and distance in October.

Beer said a recent Mornington jump-out had left him happy with her condition.

“Giving her a good spell we couldn’t afford to have her in the paddock any longer but it’s not the ideal time to be kicking her off either,” Beer said.

“She trialled on a wet track and got through it all right but I don’t think Moonee Valley will be too bad.”

Beer is running a two-stable operation with six to eight horses in training at Albury and hasn’t ruled out Gweneth joining that team in coming weeks.

“She’s trained down at Mornington but there is the option for her to go up to Albury to dodge some of the wetter tracks down here,” Beer said.

“She could still come down here to race or go to Sydney if they have a few drier weeks.”

Beer said the new stable at Albury was paying dividends and is used for some of his recent New Zealand acquisitions who need some personal attention.

He said the stable came about through frustration and to give owners an extra opportunity.

“We had a couple of horses that were finding it hard to win and weren’t cutting the mustard in Melbourne,” he said.

“Previously we’d put them on a website and sell them for $10,000 and watch them win three weeks later somewhere up there which was pretty frustrating, so we thought we might as well do it ourselves.”