Auckland trainer Steven Pinfold is confident his mare Ticklish can justify her favouritism at Randwick today, but wishes the race was 200m shorter.
Ticklish was the early $5 favourite with New South Wales' TAB Sportsbet as she faces 12 rivals in the group two A$175,000 ($200,000) Bombay SapphireStakes (1200m) for fillies and mares.
On recent form in two Australian starts at group one level, the Maroof mare deserves her high rating.
At her first run at Moonee Valley in Melbourne, she led the field up and finished an excellent third behind champion sprinter Miss Andretti in the Lightning Stakes (1000m).
Then last start she was the first mare home in finishing sixth behind Magnus in The Galaxy (1100m) at Warwick Farm, Sydney, on March 25.
Pinfold opted for the easier event on Derby day at Randwick as most of her Galaxy rivals tackle the group one T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m).
Pinfold was happy with the former South Island-trained mare's condition and trackwork but admitted there were two nagging doubts.
"She's right in this race up to her eyeballs, but 1200m is the question mark," he said.
"I'm not as confident with her racing right-handed - I'd love to see her down the Flemington straight over 1000m."
