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David Pfieffer had enough faith in Denmagic to set her for a crack at black type at the end of the autumn. It is a faith that hasn't wavered after a third in the Darby Munro Quality and a luckless run in the PJ Bell Stakes last time.
Denmagic had put together a useful record in the summer, beating multiple city winner Selita in a Beaumont maiden before winning at Canterbury on Magic Millions day, leading to Pfieffer marking her as above average,
"We thought she is up to these sort of races so we gave her a break in January, and she has done nothing to change my mind in the couple of runs she has had," Pfieffer said. "She is a talented filly and we knew that she would be up to this grade.
"There aren't that many chances to run three-year-old fillies at this trip for black type and I would think she is going to be hard to beat on Saturday if she gets the luck she hasn't had in the other two runs."
The autumn has proven slightly frustrating for Pfieffer. He has watched Denmagic fail to get a clear run in the straight twice.
She was held up for much of the straight fresh when in the Darby Munro when she charged into third, then never got a wide crack at them in the Carr Stakes a fortnight ago. She finished midfield in what Pfieffer described as "a messy race".
"They were happy to sit three and four wide on that track and it was a case of whatever got a clear run got into the race, and we didn't," he said.
"She got stuck behind a slow one, with a slow one on her outside, and just got dragged back through the field. She ran on all right when the race was over, so I was quite happy with her.
"You look at the race and Pearls, which was the favourite on Saturday, was to her inside and she gets away from us from the turn until the 200 because of where we were, and then we both hit the line well."
Pearls is the $3.20 favourite at Ladbrokes ahead of Denmagic at $5.50. James McDonald takes the reins on Pearls again after her second in the Carr and he is confident the sister to Helmet and half-sister to Epaulette is the one to beat.
"She really found the line last time, and held up again she is going to run a great race," McDonald said. "I haven't been on her a lot but she has a feel of a real nice horse and from the good draw should get the right run."
McDonald is looking forward to once again getting on raw Lonhro colt Old North in the Frank Packer Plate, after his commanding win in the Tulloch Stakes.
"He probably didn't go to the Derby because he is still learning about it and he wasn't ready for that just yet," McDonald said. "He is a proper group 1 horse and when he puts it all together he is going to be a serious horse."
Ladbrokes are still betting black odds about Old North, which is $2.05 favourite and part of a great book for McDonald at Randwick following his five winners on Wednesday.
He also has the ride on Havana Cooler, the favourite for the Japan Racing Association Plate and Federal in the Hall Mark Stakes for Godolphin. He will attempt another group 1 for the blue army with Obscura in the Champagne Stakes, while he rides Kermadec in the All Aged Stakes.
