Legless Veuve is tracking beautifully towards a Group 1 run against the boys in next month’s Australian Guineas 2017 after the Stuart Webb-trained filly won the Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes over the weekend.

Going out as an $18 roughie in betting, the progressive daughter of Pins posted her third career win at start number six with an upset in the $150,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield Racecourse.

Ridden by Mark Zahra, she looked to have plenty left in the tank late after her three-quarter length success over the Team Hawkes-trained Into Orbit ($7.50) with Hey Doc ($4.60) running third for Tony McEvoy.

“We obviously went steady in the lead but she’s got a lot of improvement in her,” Zahra told the media post-win on Saturday.

“She wanted to race keenly a little bit, but from the 600 metres I allowed her to stride, she was head and head with the leader [Into Orbit] and was too good in the end.”

After being the sole female running in the Manfred Stakes, Webb has a run against a field of fellow fillies scheduled next-up for Legless Veuve in the $150,000 Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 18.

She will then return to the Flemington track on March 4 and take on the colts and geldings in the $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).

“The progression she’s made from last prep to this campaign is outstanding, she’s really developed,” Webb said of Legless Veuve.

“She’s clean winded, athletic, has a pedigree, is a beautiful type and has a race record to prove it.”

“I think she’ll be one of the nicest four-year-old mares you’ll see.”

Legless Veuve was tested in elite level company last October, but failed when crossed dead last (16^th) behind Global Glamour in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).

Her Manfred Stakes success first-up though indicates she has come back in fine order this Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

Webb has saddled up just one other runner in an Australian Guineas field.

Legless Veuve will be out to become the first filly to take out the mile classic since Shamrocker (2011) and Mosheen (2012) went back-to-back.

Both had their final lead-ups in The Vanity running fourth and second respectively.

Futures Australian Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Chris Waller-trained Omei Sword as the $9 favourite.

The Golden Rose runner-up returns this weekend in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) after a slight muscle issue saw her scratched from last Saturday’s Eskimo Prince Stakes.

Legless Veuve meanwhile can be found further down the all-in Australian Guineas betting markets at $15.

Check out the full Australian Guineas 2017 odds and other Group 1 race markets for the autumn online now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).

2017 Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes Results

Caulfield Racecourse – 04/02/2017

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Wgt.	SP
1	5	LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ)	Stuart Webb	Mark Zahra	–	9	56kg	$18
2	11	INTO ORBIT	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Dwayne Dunn	0.75L	8	56kg	$7.50
3	2	HEY DOC	Tony McEvoy	Luke Currie	1.5L	5	58kg	$4.60
4	6	DERRYN	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	1.8L	2	56kg	$4F
5	1	MORTON’S FORK	John O’Shea	Craig Williams	3.05L	1	58kg	$5
6	9	WAZZENME	Stuart Webb	Luke Nolen	4.8L	10	56kg	$11
7	8	MANOLO BLAHNIQ (NZ)	Tony Noonan	Jake Noonan	4.9L	7	56kg	$9.50
8	4	INSIDE AGENT (NZ)	Nigel Blackiston	Kerrin McEvoy	6.65L	3	58kg	$20
9	3	TRENCHANT	John O’Shea	Ben Melham	6.75L	4	58kg	$71
10	10	BALLET MASTER (NZ)	Pat Hyland	Craig Newitt	13.75L	6	56kg	$31
–	12	CASQUE	Robbie Laing	Michael Dee	–	0	–	–
–	7	GRATWICK	Darren Weir	Damien Oliver	–	0	–	–