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“She’s naturally matured a little bit and she’s had a similar prep in,” Maher said.
“I think she enjoys that 1000m trial. She travelled well and quickened up, and has come through it well.
“I feel she has furnished a bit, as you would imagine a three-year-old filly would.
“She’ll go to the Surround Stakes and then it’s whether she goes to the TJ Smith. It’s a similar prep to last time, 1400 back to 1200 went very well.”
Schofield, Maher and Godolphin also combine with Threads ($14) in the listed Lonhro Plate (1000m) for two-year-olds. The Snitzel colt debuts from gate two off two trials with Schofield aboard. He closed off well for second in his most recent hit-out.
“I really like this colt,” Schofield said.
“The trial at Kembla was very nice, but a quiet one, and then I let him do a bit more the other day at Warwick Farm, and he was very good over the concluding stages under pressure, so he’s an exciting colt.
“I loved the way he jumped and put himself on the pace. The draw is an asset.”
Maher said Godolphin had earmarked Threads as one of its most promising two-year-olds heading into this season.
“He’s always shown ability,” he said.
“He’s from a family that take a little bit of time, but I think he’ll benefit off the back of his trial.”
Maher also has the favourite in the Lonhro Plate, Spicy Miss ($2.80), which was second in the Golden Gift at her only start. Zac Lloyd rides her first-up from gate three.
“She was Magic Millions [eligible], but we just thought it was better to give her a break and she would benefit skipping that for these better races,” Maher said.
“She’s changed quite a bit. She’s strengthened up, and she’ll improve a bit out of Saturday, but she’s in good order.”
Schofield is the only jockey to win the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) twice, and he links with John Thompson’s Screen Icon ($17) this year. They just fell short of catching Shiki in the Gimcrack Stakes and faces another tough task from a wide gate.
“She’s a very nice filly and she was unlucky not to win the Gimcrack,” Schofield said.
“She drew really wide and had a tough run, but she just kept finding the line and only just missed.
“John tipped her straight out and she’s strengthened up nicely since last prep. I loved her two trials. We’ve been given no favours with the barrier, but hopefully she can give me my third Millennium.”
Maher will likely have three runners in the rich two-year-old race, headlined by Inglis Banner winner Calamari Ring ($7.50). Long Throw ($16), an impressive second on debut at Rosehill, and Ghana’s Akan ($23), coming off two top-four runs in Victoria, are the others.
“It’s probably got that bit of X-factor, but it’s obviously got that wide gate to deal with,” Maher said of Calamari Ring.
“Long Throw was very good on debut. She quickened up nice and she should only improve. Ghana’s Akan, it’s run very well both times.”
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