Shoals (Image: Bradley Photos)
She is officially the classiest filly of a class Mitchelton Wines Atlantic Jewel Stakes field on Saturday, and Shoals can definitely be a winning player first-up according to trainer Anthony Freedman.
The unbeaten Fastnet Rock filly had a brilliant three-start prep as an autumn two-year-old, culminating in Group 2 and Group 3 successes - and returns as the highest-rated of the bunch in Saturday's Listed sprint over 1200m at Moonee Valley with a handicap rating of 84.
Limestone (78) is next best, from SA visitor Broadband (75), and Freedman thinks her class could be enough, despite expecting her to improve as he plots a path towards the G1 Thousand Guineas.
"She's done well [in her spell]. She's done a lot of work. I'm happy where she's at," Freedman said on Friday.
"She'll be better probably in three weeks. She's good to go tomorrow.
"She's physically a little stronger, she hasn't grown that much, but she's thickened out and strengthened up.
"She's forward enough to win the race, but there's still improvement to come, which'll come in the next 4-6 weeks."
Freedman has little doubt the filly can claim a Group 1, but said as usual with fillies in the early spring, the question mark remained about her running a mile.
"I think she's got the ability to win a Group 1 - what distance we're not sure yet," he added.
"She hasn't been beyond 1200m.
"We'll find that out in the next 4-6 weeks. If she can be effective at the mile, we'll go to the Thousand Guineas.
"If not, we'll make other arrangements."
Freedman said he doesn't expect the lack of Moonee Valley experience will be to Shoals' detriment either.
"I am [confident]. She obviously hasn't been to Moonee Valley, but she's a very adaptable, sensible sort of filly," he said.
"So she's drawn nicely, so if she gets a nice run she can be right in the finish."
She has the very in-form Mark Zahra in the saddle from barrier six, fresh off a treble at Caulfield last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Santa Ana Lane is on trial for a crack at the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, when he runs in the Listed Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m).
"The Sydney race came up fairly strong, not that this race here isn't strong," Freedman explained, having dual-accepted with the five-year-old Lope De Vega gelding.
"So we thought it's 10 minutes away [from Flemington to Moonee Valley] rather than 12 hours away [to Rosehill], so we'll stay here.
"If he were to run well tomorrow, we may give him his chance in the Rupert Clarke at the end of the month.
"But we'll get through tomorrow first."