A morning workout at Moonee Valley will be the deciding factor on whether Stretan Angel competes in a Group 1 event at the track.

The talented mare is penciled in for the William Reid Stakes (1200m) this Saturday, but trainer Phillip Stokes and jockey Lachlan Neindorf will assess her performance in a gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday before confirming her participation.

Stretan Angel, a daughter of Harry Angel, has yet to experience racing at The Valley, and Stokes is keen to see how she handles the track’s unique layout.

Stokes noted her impressive form at Flemington, where she has raced five times in her last six starts. She recently placed second in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) and third in the Newmarket Handicap, both at Group 1 level.

A trip to Sydney for the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill was dismissed after she underperformed at Randwick in the Silver Eagle (1300m) last spring, raising doubts about her ability to race effectively in that direction.

While she has limited experience around turns, Stretan Angel did score a win at Morphettville as a two-year-old and finished runner-up to Benedetta in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) last May.

“We are expecting her to line up on Saturday, but we’ll take her to Moonee Valley on Tuesday and make sure she handles it,” Stokes said.

“She hasn’t raced there before, and given how much she loves Flemington, we need to be sure she’s comfortable at The Valley.

“I wasn’t keen on sending her to Sydney. I just don’t think she performs as well in that direction, so this race makes the most sense.”

Stokes is delighted with the mare’s performances this preparation, believing that with the right luck, she can secure a major win.

Neindorf, who has partnered Stretan Angel in both her runs this campaign, will have the final say on whether she competes this weekend.

If she does contest the race, a potential trip to Adelaide for two elite-level assignments remains under consideration.

Stokes has earmarked the Sangster Stakes (1200m) on April 26 and the The Goodwood (1200m) in May, both at Morphettville, as future targets, though he is unlikely to start her in another race between Saturday and the Sangster.

“With two runs under her belt, if we race this weekend, she might just have a jump-out before heading into the Sangster fresh,” Stokes added.