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Star Tasmanian mare Still A Star showed she is on track for a million-dollar bonus with an effortless trial at Longford on Tuesday morning.
If she can win the Empire Rose Stakes, 1600m at Flemington on Saturday week, connections will pocket the bonus offered for any filly or mare who could win one of 12 nominated races and the Empire Rose.
"Everything is really good, I'm really happy with her, she's just screaming out for that mile now, she settled beautiful this morning, in behind the leader, and then pulled away from them it was just great," a beaming trainer Bill Ryan said.
"I think some people have written her off about the mile, she's won three races over 2100m and she won the Guineas over a mile as well."
This will be the third hit-run mission this season for Still A Star, travelling to Melbourne a couple of days before a race and then straight home to her Longford stables. The last time she crossed Bass Strait, Still A Star won the Rose Of Kingston Stakes 1400m at Flemington which made her eligible for the bonus.
"The last two times she's come back she's had an upper respiratory infection and it takes about four or five days to get on top of it but she comes through it pretty good, it's about her only weakness I guess, she just seems prone to pick these things up."
All going to plan the Empire Rose will be the final race for Still A Star this time in, Ryan will spell the mare before mapping out an autumn campaign.
Her main danger could well be fellow Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey who rattled home in the fastest sectionals of the day when third to Still A Star at Flemington proving she is getting back to the form that saw her win the All Star Mile and Australian Guineas as a 3YO.
Owner Wayne Roser said Mystic Journey will round out her preparation for the Empire Rose with some beach work and a couple of grass gallops before heading to Melbourne.
