Trainer Ed Cummings did not lay eyes on stable star Duais for a couple of days and believes in that short time the mare has improved her condition.
Duais is in Melbourne to begin her Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign in earnest in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15 is the next likely option, although Cummings has the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley a week later as a back-up option.
Both races lead to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1.
Duais arrived in Melbourne on Monday and Cummings was in town to watch her work on Tuesday. He flew home that day, returning on Thursday night ahead of Duais running on Saturday.
“I’m really pleased with how the preparation has gone so far,” Cummings said.
“I loved the way she worked around here on Tuesday morning, I’m happy with the way she has settled in and I’m thinking she’s looking better today (Friday) than she did on Tuesday.
“She’s been here before. She knows the lay of the place and I’d expect a good performance from her.”
Duais is not particularly well off under the set-weights and penalties conditions of Saturday’s race, but Cummings said the mare was the class horse.
After two runs, one at 1400m and one at 1600m, Cummings said Duais is looking for 2000m.
“She loves the track, albeit only being here once, but it was always part of the plan to have her here third-up,” Cummings said.
“I’m looking to her to stamp her authority at this trip and beyond and the Turnbull is historically a good pointer to future success during the Carnival.
“As far as the next step for her after the Turnbull is the Caulfield Cup and that is where our focus lies.
“If there were anything to happen between now and then that suggests she is better off going to the Cox Plate, then we have that option, but out of both runs, whichever one eventuates, the plan will be to press on to the Melbourne Cup.
“The spring is all about timing and I think (grandfather) Bart kept showing us that time and time again and I like the timing for my mare.”
