Robert Smerdon will rely on Kirribilli Gold in his attempt to win the $150,000 Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington for the second time in three years.
Smerdon won the Listed 3200m feature with another mare, Persian Star in 2010 with Glen Boss in the saddle and he will also pilot Kirribilli Gold on Saturday.
Stablemate Saddler’s Story has been scratched leaving a 12-horse field and Mark Zahra without a ride in the race.
Kirribilli Gold, who has won five of her 38 starts, is racing in the best form of her career winning three of her five starts so far this campaign.
The mare is chasing a hat-trick following a 10-length win in a Warrnambool maiden hurdle (3200m) at her jumping debut on May 1 and a six-length victory on the flat, her first success in the metropolitan area, in a 2400m race at Sandown on May 9.
Boss is yet to ride Kirribilli Gold in a race but the top jockey has been impressed with what he has seen of the daughter of Made Of Gold.
“She’s flying at the moment, as you’ve seen by her last two wins,” Boss said on Radio Sport National.
“If she gets a bit of cut in the ground she’ll be devastating because she’s just absolutely flying at the moment.
“I’d expect her to run the trip (out) and be very, very hard to beat.”
There has been solid support for Kirribilli Gold who has firmed from $7.50 into $4.40 with TAB Sportsbet.
The Mike Moroney-trained Maythehorsebemagic, who heads the weights at 60kg and has to give Kirribilli Gold a 4.5kg weight advantage, is the $3.50 favourite.
Almodovar at $4.20, Streaky Fella at $6 and last-start Flemington 2800m-winner Dame Claire at $8 are also in commission.
The winner of the Andrew Ramsden passes the first qualifying clause for the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup, the only other 3200m event run at Flemington.
