Trainer Shaun Dwyer has revealed that he will only give Villa Verde a light spring campaign with the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) set to be the major 2013 Spring Racing Carnival goal for the talented filly.

Villa Verde is working slowly towards a return to the races for the 2013 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Villa Verde was the star juvenile performer during the 2012 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, recording an impressive win over Overreach in the Listed Inglis Debutants Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield before scoring by three lengths in the Listed 7News Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

The Not A Single Doubt filly was highly fancied heading into the 2013 Autumn Racing Carnival but failed to return to her best form, with her second place finish in the Group 2 Moet & Chandon Stakes (1200m) followed by disappointing efforts in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).

Villa Verde was found to be suffering from a respiratory complaint at the end of her campaign, which Dwyer believes affected her performances in the autumn, but according to the Bendigo-based trainer has recovered from the issue well and is working slowly towards the beginning of what is set to be a brief spring preparation.

“She is ticking over fairly quietly still,” Dwyer told RSN this morning.

“She has been back in the stable for about six weeks and she is coming along quiet slowly.

“She won’t be back until well and truly in October with one run before the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

“She will probably only have two or three (runs) at the very most, it just depends on how she comes along and whether we will have one run going into the Coolmore or whether we need one before that.

“I’m fairly confident that the issue that we had in the autumn is over but we won’t know until she goes to the races or the trial.

“I’m a little bit anxious but patience will take us a long way.”

Fillies have a good record in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in recent years, with six fillies winning the race since 2000.