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Sometimes it's hard to quantify the improvement in a horse from their first to their second starts but jockey Jason Collett would be surprised if Kundalini doesn't have more to offer at Randwick on Saturday after a promising debut.
The filly had trialled only once going into her first outing where she chased home boom colt Don Corleone and Jason Collett expects her to be a major player in the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m).
"She's exciting, just on the improvement she keeps making from trial to race day and hopefully to her next start,'' Collett said.
"The reports going into the trial were that she's a raw and improving type. She showed good glimpses at her first start with sharp barrier speed.
"She didn't really know how to put the leader away until the eventual winner improved past her and she went with it and they ended up putting a few lengths on them."
That's what impressed Collett the most about Kundalini, $7.50 with TAB on Friday, the fact the filly didn't let the colt stretch away from her in the final 100m.
"He'd had a couple of trials and blinkers on so you'd like to think he was pretty right for that race whereas we on the other hand were on the way up,'' he said.
Collett regards the Millennium, as it looks on paper, as the strongest lead up to next month's $5 million Longines Golden Slipper to date and is happy to have the advantage of a favourable barrier.
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained youngster sits on the $15 line in Slipper betting behind Learning To Fly ($6) who Collett naturally regards as the horse to beat on Saturday.
"I thought Annabel's filly was very impressive and I think the formlines around her have been franked,'' he said.
"But with the favourites drawn wide it will make their job a bit more difficult so hopefully that plays into my hands."
Group 1 winning filly Madame Pommery kicks off her autumn in the Group 2 $250,000 TAB Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and Collett said he's pleased to have had the opportunity to partner her in a public gallop at Randwick last weekend.
Trainer Chris Waller indicated after that gallop that Madame Pommery may not be as sharp first-up as her stablemate, and working partner on the day, Zougotcha was but that filly won't be contesting the Light Fingers due to an elevated temperature during the week.
"She's come back stronger, she's put on a fair bit of weight. Chris said to me he's pretty happy,'' Collett said.
"As she's getting older she is getting stronger. She gave me a nice feel, the gallop was good with Zougotcha and I'm looking forward to riding her."
Madame Pommery was sharp enough to win on debut at 1200m and Collett is keeping an open mind as to what might unfold but said he can expect her to be an eye-catcher late at the very least.
"You'd want to see her hitting the line strongly, if she's not quite as wound up as some of the others, going forward to the 1400m and the mile,'' he said.
