From the day trainer Henry Dwyer started working filly Rumble Doll he has held her in high regard.
Victory at Sandown at her second start confirmed Dwyer’s belief and in Saturday’s Hygain Tracktorque Handicap (1000m) at The Valley he will get a better gauge of her spring prospects.
Rumble Doll lines up against spring aspirants including Absolute Flirt, Mystical Pursuit, Jedastar, Mockery and Taraayef.
After her Sandown win on June 26, Rumble Doll spent time at Dwyer’s beach property at St Leonards before a tune-up at Caulfield in preparation for Saturday.
“We thought she’d win on debut but after missing the start a half-length she got overwhelmed and didn’t muster speed for 100 metres,” Dwyer said.
“But she did everything right at Sandown and won accordingly.
“The way she won warranted us having a go at better races and we thought this was a good testing ground for her.”
Saturday’s performance will tell Dwyer whether to run Rumble Doll in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on August 17 or look for something easier.
“If she measures up on Saturday against these fillies then that’s where we’ll go and then she can freshen up for the back end of the spring,” Dwyer said.
“The fillies races progress from 1200 metres, to 1400 to a mile while she is probably an 1100-metre, 1200-metre filly.
“I’d say she goes into the race 85 to 90 per cent fit with improvement going towards the Quezette.”
Apprentice Michael Poy, successful on Rumble Doll at Sandown, again rides on Saturday and importantly can make use of his 2kg claim.
“Michael rode her at Sandown and rode her well,” Dwyer said.
“It’s hard finding jockeys that can ride light at this time of the year and he can take an extra two kilos off which he couldn’t do last time.
“A filly like Absolute Flirt has to give her 6-1/2 kilos and Jedastar 5-1/2 kilos, so she fits in nicely at the weights.”