Clarry Conners has applied blinkers to Satin Shoes as the filly aims to maintain an unbeaten record at the Oakleigh Plate track and distance on Saturday.
The multiple stakes winner has started twice over the 1100m at Caulfield for two wins including a narrow first-up success in the Listed Quezette Stakes last August.
Satin Shoes has winkers off and blinkers on for the first time in the Group One Oakleigh Plate where star colt Sepoy is the topweight and an easing favourite.
Satin Shoes finished third behind the benchmark colt in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in late October.
Conners believes Satin Shoes faces a very tough ask to beat Sepoy who’ll carry 58kg, but said it was worth having a crack.
“She goes well at the track and she’s drawn a barrier (three) which helps,” Conners said.
“I’ve put a pair of blinkers on her. In the Coolmore Stud Stakes, James McDonald was riding her and said in running she was looking at the other horses around her instead of concentrating.
“When she got away from the others she really started to put in.
“She has had the blinkers on in work and wore them in an exhibition gallop last Saturday.”
Satin Shoes is one of eight horses in the 18-horse field to be on the limit weight of 52kg and will be ridden by Dean Yendall.
Conners also has three-year-old filly Invest in the Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m).
The daughter of Dehere was ninth first-up in the Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m), beaten 4-1/4 lengths.
“She ran home well the other day after getting back and being pushed wide on the turn,” Conners said.
“She’ll appreciate 1400 metres and has Nash Rawiller on board.”