Although the James H B Carr Stakes eluded Karinska, the filly stands ready for a breakthrough stakes triumph in the Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas.

Fortune deserted her at Randwick as James McDonald guided her externally for the move, only to suffer interference from Snitzel Dancer, the race winner.

Late momentum carried Karinska to third, a performance that leaves Charlie Duckworth, assistant to trainer Chris Waller, rueing the result.

‘You know when jockeys come in and say, ‘I should have won’. This wasn’t a ‘should have’. There was no air of doubt. It was, ‘if I get my run, I win’,’ Duckworth said.

‘She is barging the door down to win one of these.’

Karinska has proven a consistent threat among her age rivals this season, shadowing placers in the spring Furious Stakes and Tea Rose Stakes, culminating in a Group 1 third to Apocalyptic in the Flight Stakes.

Tommy Berry replaces the unavailable James McDonald and, like Duckworth, senses victory imminent for Karinska.

‘Last start was a good example of how well she is going,’ Berry said.

‘She has got a great racing style, she can put herself just behind the speed.

‘You look at her last prep, the races she was running in and the quality of horses she was up against. It’s a bit of a step back from that, and the team is very confident.’

Friday’s market had Karinska at $6.50, as she attempts to become just the second filly in nine years to take the Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), following Shazee Lee.

Tenebaum represents Berry’s key booking at Hawkesbury over the handy Karinska ride, as the two-year-old.

The colt, under Brad Widdup, trialled sharply with Berry thrice before a stylish Wyong debut win, hinting at Brisbane winter prospects.

‘He is the main reason I chose to stay in Sydney instead of going to Queensland. I think he’s got the potential to be a J J Atkins horse,’ Berry said.

‘He put them away quite easily last start at Wyong and won by a margin, which is hard to do for two-year-olds.

‘The penny is just starting to drop with him. He will improve again off the weekend but to go to Queensland and be competitive in those races, he’s going to have to put in a good showing on Saturday.’

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