Group One winner Aloisia will put her Australian Guineas credentials on display when she makes her return in the Group Three Vanity at Flemington.
Saturday’s 1400m-race for three-year-old fillies will be her lead-up to the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) against her male counterparts two weeks later.
“She’s had a couple of soft jump-outs, a couple of strong gallops and she’s fit enough to run a good race,” trainer Aaron Purcell said.
“Obviously she’s going to improve from the run which she normally does, but she’s done enough to run well.
“She’s drawn awkwardly (11 of 11) so she’ll probably go back from the gate and I expect her to be hitting the line really hard.
“If she’s winning that would be great. If she’s not and is just running strong to the line that would also be good enough.
“I definitely think she’s going well enough to win, but I won’t be devastated if she gets beaten.”
Aloisia opened the $2.20 favourite for The Vanity earlier this week and remains favourite but was at $2.70 on Thursday.
The Henry Dwyer-trained Paris Rock, winner of her three starts, faces her first stakes test and was at $4.60 while the Tony McEvoy-trained Group Two winner Bring Me Roses was at $8.
Bring Me Roses was runner-up in the VRC Oaks (2500m) in which Aloisia finished sixth as favourite after winning the Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Group Two Vase (2040m) at her previous starts.
Aloisa races in a tongue-tie for the first time on Saturday.
The filly is the current favourite for the Australian Guineas ahead of two important lead-up races on Saturday.
Along with The Vanity for fillies, the Flemington program also includes the Group Three C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) for three-year-old colts and geldings which features a host of Guineas hopefuls.
Purcell believes Aloisia is on track for the Guineas.
“I expect her to make good improvement from the run and if all goes to plan she should be pretty hard to beat in the Guineas, I think,” he said.
