Dee booked for smart filly; Guineas for in-form McQueen; Trentham chance for Listowel; Tough draw for China Silk.

Dee booked for smart filly

New Zealand apprentice Michael Dee is poised to make an early impact in Melbourne.

The 18-year-old will make his Australian debut aboard the favoured Royal Snitzel in the opening event at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Apprenticed to Kevin Myers, Dee has ridden more than 100 winners, including the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic with Hera and he also has enjoyed success aboard Silent Achiever at Ellerslie.

He is on a three month loan stint with Caulfield trainer Mick Prince, who prepares Royal Snitzel. She has won two of her three starts and will be making a fresh start following her second placing in the Listed Quezette Stakes in August.

Guineas for in-form McQueen

McQueen will face the first distance test of his Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby campaign at Te Rapa on Saturday week.

Trainer Jim Collett has confirmed the Gr.2 Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas (2000m) as the three-year-old’s next step toward the classic.

“We’ll see how he comes through out of that and maybe then the Avondale Guineas,” he said. “He’s thrived since his last race and I can’t fault the horse,” he said.

McQueen has won his last two starts following a debut second and is currently a $14 chance in the pre-post Derby market.

Trentham chance for Listowel

Cambridge trainer Trent Busuttin believes Listowel deserves a crack at Saturday’s Gr.3 Wellfield Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham.

The Cambridge filly put together consecutive wins before she disappointed in the Gr.2 Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

“She jumped and got on the wrong leg and it was a bit of a non-event really,” Busuttin said. “She’s got more ability than she showed there.”

Tough draw for China Silk

A horror draw for China Silk in Sunday's $1 million Karaka Million has dented Matamata trainer Danica Guy's confidence of her remarkable run of success continuing.

Guy has already this month won the Gr.1 Railway Stakes with In Style and the Gr.1 Levin Classic with Gaultier, but barrier 17 for Hard Spun filly China Silk has the trainer resigned to relying on good luck in the 1200m two-year-old feature at Ellerslie on Sunday.

"It's a nightmare draw because she jumps so well so we've got no option but to let her run and that will mean she's probably going to end up parked out out," Guy said.