A mare who won the greys' race at Flemington last spring is back in Melbourne chasing a much bigger prize at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

And regardless of whether Arinosa wins or loses the $1 million Manikato Stakes, jockey Brenton Avdulla has been impressed by the emergence of the Chris Waller-trained mare to the point where she's a legitimate contender in a Group One.

"This time last year we thought she would win the greys' race at Flemington and we were rapt when she did that," Avdulla said.

"To then come back next preparation and win a stakes race, we thought she had done her job but Chris has kept raising the bar and she's kept jumping it.

"She's a happy horse, she's in form and I can't take much credit.

"I've just been the pilot on her most of the time, but I get on really well with her and I think she'll race well on Friday night."

Arinosa is a $10 chance in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) with star mare Samaready a dominant $2.60 favourite.

Hong Kong star Lucky Nine lines up in his first Australian outing while 10-time Group One placegetter Buffering gets another chance to breakthrough at the top level.

Arinosa, winner of a Group Two and Group Three during the autumn, returned with a first-up win in the Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) in Sydney on October 5.

The six-year-old pleased Avdulla in a solo gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.

She will jump from the outside barrier in the field 12 with Bel Sprinter drawing the rails, Samaready in gate seven and Lucky Nine in four.

"I think she deserves her chance at a Group One," Avdulla said.

"We'll find out on Friday night how well she is going."