Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards believe they have valid claims to win their second successive Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m) on their home track on Saturday.
The training duo produced Gold Fever to win last year's two-year-old fillies’ feature under stable rider Opie Bosson and earlier this week got talking about how Savabeel filly The Real Beel measured up for this year's event.
"I asked Stephen the other day how he reckoned this filly compared to Gold Fever and he said not quite as strong, but certainly with as much ability," Richards said.
"She's won well on debut and then had things go against her in the Karaka Million last time. She jumped a shade slow and had to use a lot of petrol to get there.
"The way she goes about her races means she'll be somewhere near them in running and she's an improving filly and working well.
"She might have to do a bit of work to get in from barrier eight but that's where you put your faith in Opie to slot her in somewhere. We expect her to run well."
TAB bookmakers opened The Real Beel at $11.50, but early money has seen her shorten into $9 in a market headed by She's A Thief at $3, Spanish Whisper at $3.30 and Platinum Mam'selle at $6.80.
According to markets, Te Akau Racing has a stronger hand in the Gr.3 Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m) for two-year-old colts and geldings, with Sword Of Osman a $2.90 favourite and Handsome Rebel an $8.20 fifth favourite.
"Opie had the choice and chose Sword Of Osman and that's probably the way we expected him to go. He's drawn three which is ideal. He can jump and be in the first four or five," Richards said.
"His work has been good and back left-handed is a big help."
Sword Of Osman was an impressive three-length debut winner at Awapuni in December, beating Platinum Mam'selle, before finishing eighth in the Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie last month.
"Bocce is the horse to beat. He was very good in the Karaka Million and our two would have to be at their absolute best to beat him," Richards said.
"Handsome Rebel isn't far off Sword Of Osman and he continues to come to hand well. We've put the visor blinkers on to sharpen him up and Danielle [Johnson, jockey] knows the horse, having ridden him at the trials."
Rounding out the Te Akau runners in stakes company on Saturday is Savabeel five-year-old Splurge, who contests the Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m) at Hastings.
He defeated race rival Scapolo in the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) in December before finishing eighth in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham last start.
"You've almost got to put a line through the Thorndon run because he got cluttered up on the fence and didn't really get a crack at them. He's a horse who's best in open space and rolling," Richards said.
"He's been purposefully targeted at this race. We had talked about stepping him up to 2000m [in this month's Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa] but we got together with Opie and decided that he would be better served at 1600m in this race.
"He's well and he'll be hitting the line strongly. He's drawn out a bit but that will mean he can make his run when we want rather than being boxed up and waiting for gaps to open."
Michael McNab rides Splurge, an equal $11 fourth favourite with Consensus for the weight-for-age feature behind Bonneval at $3.50, Start Wondering at $4.50 and Devise at $6.
