A distance rise and added fitness are reasons Clinton McDonald believes Tahni Dancer is ready to challenge her more fancied rivals in the James H B Carr Stakes at Randwick.

Tahni Dancer was strong to the line when fifth in the P J Bell Stakes (1200m) on a heavy track second-up, closing to within two lengths of the winner Miss Cover Girl in an on-pace dominated race.

She steps to 1400m in Saturday's Group Three race for fillies.

"She's looking for that distance and I thought her run the other day was full of merit," McDonald said.

"She attacked the line nicely and she's trained on well."

The $400,000 Scone Guineas and the Group One Tattersall's Tiara in Queensland are on the radar deeper into Tahni Dancer's campaign.

Tahni Dancer has won one of her 10 starts and has been runner-up in Group Three and Group Two company.

"She's a high quality filly," the trainer said.

"She's raced a fair bit without a lot of luck - she's a backmarker so the breaks need to go her way - but she's always solid enough and I think third-up this prep she's going to be fully fit and where she needs to be and I think that will show on Saturday."

Peeping, a stakes winner on Golden Slipper day before finishing second in the PJ Bell, is favourite at $3.70 ahead of PJ Bell minor placegetter Matilija ($6) while Tahni Dancer is at $12.

By Sebring, Tahni Dancer is out of multiple stakes-winner Tahni Girl who was trained by McDonald's late father Ross and finished fifth in the 2004 Golden Slipper.

"She was very talented," McDonald said.

"We tried to buy the sister (to Tahni Dancer) this year but didn't have enough firepower."

A More Than Ready filly out of Tahni Girl was knocked down to the China Horse Club and Coolmore for $850,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney earlier this month.