Trainer Chris Waller will put blnkers on two-year-old Luiza believing they will help the filly when she has her first Melbourne start at Moonee Valley.
Luiza made a winning debut at Randwick in Sydney on October 8 and is the early favourite for Saturday’s $250,000 Inglis Banner (1100m) for juveniles.
The filly is one of three horses in the field of 14 with race experience along with Miss Wahoo and Feng Chu who finished third and fourth respectively in the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield.
Luiza did it at both ends of the race on debut, beginning quickly to lead with company on her outside before kicking strongly early in the straight.
She then held off the finish of favourite Showtime to win by three-quarters of a length.
Luiza galloped at Moonee Valley on Tuesday, after which Waller decided to add blinkers for Saturday.
“She’s had the one trial and one race and won them both,” Waller said.
“She’s drawn wide (in barrier 11) on Saturday and I’ve put some blinkers on her. She got around the Valley well on Tuesday morning but she got lost when she was in the straight.
“And if you go back to her first race, once she had cleared the other horse her ears were flickering, as they were in the trial.
“So the blinkers will just help her focus.”
Waller said Luiza had had blinkers on in slow work on Wednesday and Thursday morning to get used to them and would wear them again on Friday.
