Simon Marshall believes the strength of the Villa Verde formline will be highlighted by Purrific in Saturday's B J McLachlan Stakes at Doomben.

A multiple Group One wining jockey, Marshall is the Equine and Industry Manager for BC3 Thoroughbreds who race Purrific and another leading Magic Millions contender, Change Of Honour.

He rates Villa Verde the benchmark for two-year-olds this season and was impressed with the effort of Purrific to finish second to the Shaun Dwyer-trained filly at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day when she was ridden by Glen Boss who retains the ride at Doomben.

"Bossy thought he had a lap full of horse until Villa Verde went past her but she chased really hard and showed lot of raceday nous," Marshall said.

"Then at her next start in the Merson Cooper at Sandown, the winner Bulbula skipped away at the top of the straight and although our filly wasn't quite able to pick her up she made really good ground and bit of form has come out of the race."

Purrific joined Gillian Heinrich's stables a week after the Merson Cooper and has settled in well at the Gold Coast where she worked stylishly on Tuesday morning.

"We think we've got the right filly," Marshall said.

"Her work on the course proper on Tuesday was good and she's continued to improve so we're really looking forward to her stepping out."

The daughter of Dane Shadow has drawn ideally in barrier five which should allow her to find a position just behind the leaders.

"Because it's her first go the right-handed direction we'd like to take a sit off a hot speed and try to produce her late," he said.

"The key is to earn some more prizemoney to move up the list and have a great experience going around that way for the first time which I'm sure she'll have no problem with."

Marshall is impressed with the quality of the field in the McLachlan.

"It's a pretty hot race and probably worthy of Magic Millions standard itself," he said.

"She's got to do everything right but this will give us a good guide to how well she's going.

"The 1200 metres will be right up her alley."

Change Of Honour also is under the guidance of Heinrich after his Caulfield win on December 8 and is unlikely to start again before the Millions because he has earned enough prizemoney to be guaranteed a start.