KEY POINTS:
Rich Brisbane spoils beckon for stakes-placed Matamata filly Do Me A Favour if she lives up to solid stable confidence on her home track, Matamata, today.
Potential Australian assignments for the Bonecrusher Stakes runner-up include the A$325,000 ($367,000) group one Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June
2.
"We thinks she's one of the better fillies around," said co-trainer Paul Moroney. "She found the firm track last time in the 1000 Guineas against her. After that we turned her out with the view to Brisbane."
Unless a freakish first-starter comes out of the race-two woodwork, Moroney boldly tips Do Me A Favour to pick up expense money in her fresh-up assignment.
Heavy overnight rain in Matamata on Monday took the pressure off the Howbaddouwantit filly jumping from an outside marble.
Moroney is pretty sure her class will take care of the rest today against maiden rivals.
"She's grown and got stronger in the break; she really is a lovely big filly," he said.
"She's tuned up to win tomorrow [Wednesday] and if she's on top of her game - which her training suggests she is - she should have too much class."
Do Me A Favour's highlights last campaign were seconds to Bonaichi in the Bonecrusher - Magic Cape was a head further back in third - and Lowland Stakes placegetter Soelin.
While beaten into seventh in the 1000 Guineas, Do Me A Favour was still only six lengths adrift of winner Dorabella on a Riccarton track that never showcased her best.
Another Ballymore filly could also firm up Australian plans with victory against maiden class today.
Moroney said an impressive win by early New Zealand Oaks nominee Striptease in race eight may earn her a tilt at the A$100,000 South Australian Oaks (2500m) in Adelaide on May 6.
"That may be a bit much to ask at this stage, but she's a good staying type with all the hallmarks of becoming a cups mare."
The Danasinga filly is having just her fifth start today, but with an ounce more luck would already be out of maidens.
She got wiped out badly two starts back at Te Rapa, and then last time out on the same course was held up at a crucial stage in her middle-distance debut.
"Fuji Walk put two to three lengths on her on the corner and that was the difference between winning and losing," said Moroney.
Striptease dropped out of NZ Oaks contention this Saturday with that head defeat, while Fuji Walk now looks likely to sneak into the Trentham line-up.
Moroney tips third-string 3-year-old filly Work That Skirt (race one) as the value runner today.
He said punters should ignore her last start failure at Rotorua when racing too fiercely in blinkers.
"We've taken the blinkers off and she's back to 1600m."