Glen Boss has already gone down in history as the jockey who guided Makybe Diva to three Melbourne Cup wins and is looking to Shamrocker to give him his fourth.
The Danny O’Brien-trained Cup favourite goes second-up into Saturday’s Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield and Boss says he is looking for a forward showing from her.
“She’s doing everything right. Tomorrow is a real D-Day for her,” Boss said.
“She’s got to perform tomorrow second-up which she has done for me twice in past preparations.”
Shamrocker won second-up for Boss in her initial preparation over 1200m at Sandown as a two-year-old and in her third campaign when she scored an upset victory in the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington last autumn.
“Obviously she beat the boys in the (Australian) Derby. I’ve got a real question mark against the three-year-old form from last season, especially the stayers, going into the spring,” Boss said.
“I thought they were a standard bunch of horses and a good filly was able to spank them.
“She was able to beat the boys pretty convincingly every time she started against them and she probably should have won the (AJC) Oaks on a very heavy track where she was unsuited.
“I’d really like to see her come out on Saturday from a pretty good draw and run a very good race.”
The four-year-old ran eighth to Cox Plate aspirant King’s Rose when she resumed in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on late last month.
She has barrier five in the Underwood which has been reduced to 14 after the scratching of Maluckyday due to a virus.
The Robert Hickmott stable has told stewards the intention with Midas Touch is for him to go forward towards the lead.
Nick Hall retains the mount on the five-year-old imported entire who at his third Australian start was a solid third behind Littorio and Underwood rival Glass Harmonium in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 3.
Luke Nolen will be sitting out due to a careless riding suspension when the Underwood is run but says his likely Caulfield Cup mount Lights Of Heaven will improve with the addition of blinkers at her third run in.
“I don’t get to ride her tomorrow but all indications are that stretching in trip will suit and I’m really looking forward to riding her in a handicap, the Caulfield Cup,” Nolen said.
Ben Melham rides the Australasian Oaks winner on Saturday.
The Zabeel mare, unbeaten at her first four starts, is aiming for her first win this spring after running second to Whobegotyou in the Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and fifth in the Makybe Diva.
Lights Of Heaven is an easing favourite, from $3.20 to $4.40, with TAB Sportsbet just ahead of Glass Harmonium at $4.60; Scarlett Lady, who has firmed from $10 to $6; and 2009 winner Heart Of Dreams at $6.50.
Midas Touch, Playing God and Shamrocker are all at $11.
AAP TURF
