Kris Lees is the first to admit he’s had doubts about Wolverine’s distance limits but while she continues to perform, he will continue to test them.
The filly looked as though she may be better suited to fast-run sprints when she finished down the track in the Flight Stakes at her first start over a mile in the spring.
But given another opportunity over 1600m this campaign, she placed behind The Fortune Teller on a heavy track in the Carbine Club Stakes and backed it up with a late closing third to Street Gossip in the Princess Stakes (1615m) last start.
She extends to 1800 metres for the first time in Saturday’s Gold Coast Bracelet and Lees can see no reason she won’t rise to the challenge again.
“Each run is the furthest she has ever gone so it’s one run at a time,” Lees said.
“The way she reacted the other day, I’m happy to give her a chance. We’re going up 200 metres each time so we’ll see where her ceiling lies.”
A Group 2 winner in New Zealand at two, Wolverine is still searching for her first Australian success but she has been competitive against some of the top fillies of her generation.
She finished third behind Zougotcha and Madame Pommery in the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) in September and was beaten less than two lengths in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) claimed by Sunshine In Paris in February.
A model of consistency, Wolverine has finished in the minor placings at her past four runs but will have to overcome an outside draw to land a knockout blow at the Sunshine Coast.
“She deserves a win but they don’t hand them out so she’ll need a bit of luck again,” Lees said.
“It is (frustrating) but at least she is racing well.”
Less also has Yankee Hussel in the Bracelet and she will be ridden conservatively after wanting to overdo things when racing handy to the speed last start.
“She over-raced at the mile when we used her a bit from the inside draw so she will be ridden conservatively to give her a chance to run out that trip and she’ll appreciate the big track,” Lees said.