Montefilia is already a three-time Group 1 winner but trainer David Payne believes the best is yet to come.
The four-year-old kicks off her latest campaign in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday after putting the finishing touches to her preparation with an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill last weekend.
Jason Collett rides her on Saturday having also partnered her in the race-day hitout and Payne has been buoyed by his feedback, with Collett telling the trainer Montefilia feels more powerful.
“He is excited about her, which is good,” Payne said.
“Before, you used to see the poverty marks on her bum, now they have filled out.”
The Chipping Norton is the headline race on Saturday and has attracted an outstanding field including Verry Elleegant, Think It Over, Colette and untapped import Top Ranked.
Montefilia handles all conditions and has a handy first-up record, finishing third behind Think It Over in the Chelmsford Stakes over the same course and distance on resumption last campaign.
Payne is anticipating a similarly bold performance this weekend.
“It might be a bit on the sharp side for her against the top horses,” he said.
“But she always runs well and when they’re stopping, she will be coming.”
The Tancred Stakes (2400m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) are among the autumn options for Montefilia but the long-term mission is the race her connections resisted in the spring.
After finishing fourth to Incentivise in the Caulfield Cup, Montefilia was sent to the paddock as Payne felt she wasn’t ready for a Melbourne Cup campaign.
But he thinks she is ready this year.
“Back of my mind is always the Melbourne Cup. I think now is the time to go for it because she is more mature,” Payne said.
“She ran fourth in the Caulfield Cup and the winner is gone, a lot of them are gone and she is coming up.”
