Impressive filly Secret Saga is no certainty for a winter carnival campaign, despite her easy win at Doomben on Saturday.
The horse ($3.30) atoned for her previous start defeat when she beat favourite Redsson ($2.20) by 1 1/4 lengths in the Stanley River Thoroughbreds Handicap (1110m).
She was slow to jump when fifth at Doomben two weeks ago, but was on her best behaviour in the two-year-olds race on Saturday.
Redsson won the start but Secret Saga also began well and worked her way to the lead after 200m.
Trainer Tony Gollan has a huge opinion of Secret Saga and rates her as potentially one of his best horses.
"Take a tip: this is a very good filly," Gollan said.
"It wasn't really a case of doing extra barrier work with her because she begins well when she isn't stargazing in the barrier stalls."
Gollan said he had no doubts Secret Saga could win at distances further than 1110m and also in stakes company.
"If she pulls up OK, we will press on with the winter carnival. But if she isn't telling us she is OK, we will not hesitate to pull up stumps," Gollan said.
Meanwhile, cheap buy Faint Blaze ($10) finally lived up to her track work when she won the Club 100 Handicap (1110m).
Trainer Liam Birchley said Faint Blaze had cost only $6000 but had already returned more than $80,000.
"She showed us plenty early but didn't take that track work to the races. Now she has won she might press on to something a bit better over more ground," Birchley said.