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Boom Rockhampton filly Sweet Dolly can prove to trainer Kevin Hansen she’s the real deal if she wins the QTIS Jewel Prelude for fillies at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Sweet Dolly has been back in work for nearly two months and is targeting the $500,000 QTIS Jewel over 1200 metres at the Gold Coast on March 13.
"She won a barrier trial recently but it wasn't overly strong and I'm expecting her to run a big race," Kevin Hansen said.
"She did well during her break and has come back a lot bigger and stronger.
"My biggest worry is drawing barrier 10 but our main danger Glorious Ruby has nine."
Hansen initially reserved his assessment of Sweet Dolly after she won on debut in Townsville last November but he soon had a change of mind after she beat Caulfield winner Fake Love in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes at Eagle Farm in December.
Hansen confirmed connections had recently knocked back an offer of $400,000 from an Australian buyer and had discussed sending Sweet Dolly to Sydney for the $2 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill in April.
"We did discuss going to Sydney for the Golden Slipper but realistically that would be a big ask," he said.
Meanwhile, rival trainer Bryan Dais won't rule out an interstate trip for Glorious Ruby if the filly completes a hat-trick of wins at only her fourth start.
Glorious Ruby is not eligible for next month's QTIS Jewel and has looked impressive winning her past two starts at the Sunshine Coast and Doomben.
Dais is hopeful his filly can continue her winning form and has huge respect for Sweet Dolly.
"Sweet Dolly is obviously a very good filly after she won the Calaway Gal but we're not going to Caloundra to run second," Dais said.
"My filly hasn't raced against top opposition but she's doing everything right and hasn't gone backwards."
A daughter of Your Song, Glorious Ruby caught Dais' eye at the dispersal sale for the Estate of Eduardo Cojuangco and was knocked down for $12,500 as a yearling.
Glorious Ruby is owned by Dais' mother Pam and his partner Nicky, and has already returned $156,000 in prizemoney.
"Unfortunately, she's not a QTIS horse and is ineligible for the QTIS Jewel," Dais said.
"This is a good race to see how she matches up against good fillies like Sweet Dolly and if she goes well, I'll sit down and have a think about her future.
"She'll probably spell after this but I could give her an ease up and send her down for the Percy Sykes in Sydney but that's six weeks away."
The Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes is a set weights race for fillies over 1200 metres at Randwick on April 10.
