It is the Trentham Stakes or bust - well, for this trip, anyway - for Princess Brook tomorrow.
Which makes her crack at the group 3 staying test a lot more important than for others in the $70,000 feature.
Unlike several of her rivals, Princess Brook is not nominated for the Wellington Cup and will be coming back home to Wingatui next week, whether she wins or not.
Her trainer, Terry Kennedy, said the chance of chasing black type, combined with the field size, made it a good target for himself and owner Fred King.
"It's usually not a big field so I thought it would be would be a good race for her and a trip away,'' Kennedy said.
"You've only got to run in the first four for it to be good for the mare and it's a good learning curve for the horse, too.''
Kennedy has kept the Raise The Flag mare ticking over since her Tapanui Cup win on November 20.
"She seems very well and I'm very happy with her. That 2000m at Gore was the furthest she's been, but she ran it out fairly strongly, so the 2100m shouldn't worry her.''
Chris Johnson is set to ride Princess Brook in the Trentham Stakes - along with pairing up with former Otago galloper Natuzzi in the Telegraph - after recovering from the shoulder injury he aggravated at Omakau on January 3.
Otago is also represented in the Trentham Stakes by Sureasyouwereborn for Tapanui trainers Nikki and Barrie Blatch.
The Lucky Unicorn mare will back up in the Wellington Cup next weekend.
