A strong endorsement from champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy has swayed the team behind Arctic Glamour to take a chance in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.

Co-trainer Sterling Alexiou initially had reservations about pushing on to Saturday’s 1400m race following Arctic Glamour’s unplaced effort in the Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m). However, McEvoy believed the mare’s run was far more promising than the result suggested.

“I gave Kerrin every option not to run her there and he thought we’d be crazy not to,” Alexiou said.

“He was happy to stick with her.

“He thought there was quite a bit of merit to her run the other day on a track where you couldn’t make much ground.”

The Dane Ripper run marked Arctic Glamour’s first outing since March, and Alexiou expects improvement second-up.

Though she hasn’t won since defeating Joliestar in a Listed event over 18 months ago, Arctic Glamour has proven her class with placings in three Group 2 races, including the Golden Pendant over the same trip as the Tattersall’s Tiara.

“She is a long time between wins but she has got an abundance of ability on her day and a race like that wouldn’t be beyond her if things fell her way,” Alexiou said.

The stable will also saddle up General Salute in the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes (1200m).

A Group 3 winner during the Sydney autumn, General Salute missed part of the carnival with a minor injury but has returned in good order. Alexiou believes the gelding is primed for a bold showing.

“He was an acceptor over the carnival and he had a bit of filling in a joint on race morning and we had to back off him,” he said.

“A couple of other races just came around too quickly for him and this looked an ideal race to get him ready for.

“He appears to have freshened up well and I was happy with his trial. He looked to go to the line with a lot in hand.”

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