Promising filly Love Days can confirm plans to step her up to stakes racing if she impresses again in the Vobis Gold Carat at Moonee Valley.
The Clinton McDonald-trained Love Days has raced to convincing wins in her two starts, scoring by seven lengths on debut in a Warrnambool maiden before heading to town to win again at Moonee Valley.
She sprinted clear in a 1200m benchmark race for fillies in her first city start before being eased down in the run to the line to win by 1-1/4 lengths on December 4 with 60kg.
McDonald says what impresses him most about Love Days is that she has run time in both races despite not being fully tested last start.
"It's going to be interesting to see how much she has got in the tank when Mark (Zahra) needs to push her along but she can't do any more than what she's done and I'm just looking forward to Saturday to see where she sits," McDonald said.
"You'd like her to go there and be impressive again in winning. And if she can do that and run time again, that gives you confidence going forward."
McDonald has pinpointed stakes races for Love Days in February if things go as he hopes for the odds-on favourite in Saturday's $150,000 race.
The trainer has the Group Three Manfred Stakes on February 6 at Caulfield or the Group Three Typhoon Tracy Stakes at Moonee Valley late in the month as options.
"Which way we go will probably be guided by her," he said.
"She'll probably have a little freshen-up for a couple of weeks on the water walker just to freshen her up mentally and we'll just space her runs.
"She'll probably have two more runs this prep I would say and then we'll re-assess it after that."
McDonald said Love Days had always shown ability in everything she had done and indicated in her trackwork and times she was capable of going to higher levels.
"Each step that you take gets harder and we're just hoping that she keeps improving," he said.
Love Days has barrier 11 but McDonald believes that could be an advantage for the filly on Saturday.
Godolphin filly Antelucan is the only other horse under double figures at $6.50.