Racing: Distance a query for class filly but she looks good

Rudy Liefting says he is naturally cautious.

Which, he says, explains in part why he is not overconfident going into today's $120,000 Royal Stakes at Ellerslie with outstanding filly Justa Tad.

"You don't want to get too confident - that's when you get nailed," said Liefting, who will produce a filly that will start somewhere around $1.50.

Rider Vinny Colgan has enough confidence for the pair of them.

Colgan, riding in career best form, has unshakeable faith in Justa Tad.

The Takanini filly has been showing invincible form, but when 3-year-olds have their first start beyond 1600m it is always a time to be a little wary, even if there is no negative point to be specific about with Justa Tad.

Colgan has no doubt Justa Tad will successfully switch up to a middle distance.

"It won't be a problem," he said.

"She relaxes so beautifully, you can put her to sleep at any time of a race you want to - she comes back to you beautifully."

Liefting says that regardless of how many times he watches the video replay of Justa Tad winning the 1600m Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni on December 11, he cannot come to terms with the way the filly continually wound up at the finish.

"She was just getting going at the finish."

Liefting accepts that getting the training right on Justa Tad is more difficult than it looks.

The class filly is capable of running times on the training track that would have most horses close to fully stretched, but which leave her with petrol in the tank. Under that scenario it is possible to imagine you have done sufficient work when you could be leaving the filly under-trained.

"We actually don't work her that hard. She never works with a partner because she always does too much if you put something else with her.

"She had what we call a swift one for her on Wednesday and that's all she's needed. Yes, we do worry at times that we do enough with her."

Colgan believes Justa Tad relaxes so beautifully she will manage almost any distance, but Liefting says he needs convincing the filly will manage further than today's 2000m.

"I'm not confident about that, but we'll wait and see. The one thing I did like was that she looked like she was happy to keep going at the end of the Eulogy Stakes."

Two-from-four Spin 'N Grin looked stylish sprinting late to pick up tearaway leader Vamperalla in the $100,000 Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

With limited experience, she will be learning all the time and if she can settle and reproduce the same dash today she will be the one for Justa Tad to beat.

Barrier draws are crucial at the 2000m Ellerslie start and Justa Tad is about perfect at No4, where she will start if the emergencies do not get back into the field. Spin 'N Grin will come out of No5 under the same scenario.

Gai Waterhouse's Basra gave the impression she would be better suited by this 2000m than the 1600m of the Eight Carat. She settled well back on the rails in that and made ground late without too much home-straight luck.

Rider Michael Walker predicted the Sydney filly's fitness levels would improve out of that race.