Connections of the lightly raced Set Square are considering paying a late entry fee for the Crown Oaks after their filly won the Listed $120,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield today.

Connections considering to pay late entry fee for the Crown Oaks for Set Square after her win in the Ethereal Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Set Square wasn’t in the original list of entries for the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 6 but manager Ken King said that the syndicate would now look at using $55,000 of today’s $72,000 winning cheque to pay the last entry fee for the fillies classic.

“We are thinking about it,” King said.

“She is progressive and she has come from nowhere. She  has been coming home the last six weeks but Ciaron keeps getting her to the track and she keeps winning, it’s is great.”

“We’ll think about the Oaks, we’ll see how she pulls up.”

“She has just taken us by surprise. She is just a lovely filly on the move. I guess we just keep throwing the ball at the stumps and we’ll see where we end up.”

Trainer Ciaron Maher has done a terrific job with Set Square who was coming off a win in a 1600m Ballarat maiden ten days ago and expects her to have no worries handling the extra distance of the Crown Oaks.

“She seems very tough. You can train her, she comes home and eats up, the 2000m looked no worry today and Nick gave her a good ride,” Maher said.

“We thought if she could win today we would pay the late entry fee provided she trains on and I don’t think 2500m would worry her either.”

Winning jockey Nick Hall had Set Square ($7.50) travelling sweetly midfield before charging to the front at the 300m and holding off the odds on favourite Maastricht ($1.90) to win by two lengths with the Peter Moody trained Imperial Girl ($15) also running on for third.