Naantali (Image: Racing Photos)
Consistent mare Naantali has raced five times in the past two-and-a-half months, for three wins and two seconds, and trainer Ciaron Maher is confident her run of form isn't finished yet.
After running second at Caulfield last start, the four-year-old returns to The Valley over a mile this weekend, the same track and distance as her most recent victory a month ago.
"The race maps a lot better than last start, it maps pretty similar to when she won at The Valley," Maher said.
"Last start at Caulfield she just got on the chewy a little bit and probably over did it going up the hill and it just took the shine off her finish.
"But back to The Valley, a good draw back to the mile, there's a lot to like about it."
The daughter of Rip Van Winkle has drawn barrier three for Saturday's Big Swing Golf Handicap (1600m) and Maher thinks she'll again be back up on speed.
"Yeah she will be but ideally she gets a bit of cover, it's pretty straightforward from there she'll just get a bit of cover, she won't be too far away and hopefully she's just peeling out round the turn and getting the job done," Maher said.
Naantali is the market leader for Saturday's opening race at The Valley but there is a slight question mark on whether or not she's come to the end of her prep.
But the Caulfield trainer is confident she's still showing that she has more to give.
"She worked on Tuesday, she seemed nice and bright and well and hopefully we get a similar result as last time we went to The Valley," he said.
"We'll just take her just one step at a time, we'll have a look at her Saturday, if she trains on, I might just freshen her up a little bit and she could go back to The Valley for the Stock Stakes, have a bit of a crack at some black type.
"She was a little bit exposed last start and a little bit fresh and sort of grabbed the bit and she was off but if she gets cover I'd say she'd run 10 furlongs."
WATCH: Naantali's Valley win
The Maher-David Eustace stable is also fielding emerging colt Visao in the 1Print Handicap (1500m).
The lightly-raced three-year-old resumes after a winter let-up and Maher said he's been impressed by how he's strengthened up over the break.
"He's really come on actually, we've kept him in work, he just spent some time down at the beach and trot and cantered," Maher said.
"Had a jumpout last week at Sandown and he went out to The Valley just to have a look around, he's on a Derby path so sort of just kicking off again.
"He'll be hitting the line but I'd say he's improving quite a bit that horse every day, every time he does a gallop or a trial or a jumpout or something like that so it wouldn't be a total surprise but yeah probably his next start he'll hit the board I reckon.
"He's done really well, he's strengthened up, he's only a neat one, only a neat colt.
"I bought him and sort of had the idea that he's a High Chaparral and one of the best High Chaparral's was It's A Dundeel and he was only a neat horse with a good action and this horse has got a similar profile so hopefully he can get some similar results to him."
Visao has already guaranteed his spot in the Group 1 Victoria Derby with his last-start win in July's Byerley Handicap at Flemington earning him a ballot exemption.
At the time of that victory the stable said it would dare to dream that he could race in the Derby, but it appears his strengthening has fuelled their confidence that he is a real contender for the $2 million feature.
"It's a bit more than a dream now, that's the path we've set out for him and Saturday is the stepping stone towards that," Maher said.