Hurtle Myrtle's chances of toppling Melito in the final two legs of Princess Series have received a huge boost with Hugh Bowman booked to ride the filly.Trainer Matthew Smith was delighted to secure the services of Sydney's reigning premier rider who will be aboard in Saturday's Group Two Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.The Tea Rose is the third race of the Princess Series which culminates in the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 3.Hurtle Myrtle comes into Saturday's ra

Hurtle Myrtle's chances of toppling Melito in the final two legs of Princess Series have received a huge boost with Hugh Bowman booked to ride the filly.

Trainer Matthew Smith was delighted to secure the services of Sydney's reigning premier rider who will be aboard in Saturday's Group Two Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.

The Tea Rose is the third race of the Princess Series which culminates in the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 3.

Hurtle Myrtle comes into Saturday's race after running 1-1/2 lengths second to Melito in race two of the series, the Group Two Furious Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 5, when ridden by Nash Rawiller.

In the opening race of the Princess Series in late August, Hurtle Myrtle was third to Deer Valley who edged out Melito in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).

Blake Shinn rode Hurtle Myrtle in the Silver Shadow but was booked to ride in Melbourne for his boss Gai Waterhouse on the same day as the Furious.

Shinn ended up scoring on the Waterhouse-trained Swift Alliance in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.

Shinn rode Hurtle Myrtle to victory over 1200 metres as a two-year-old at Canterbury on late July.

"Hugh's committed to her for the next two races, it's a big result," Smith said.

The Warwick Farm trainer has been saying all along Hurtle Myrtle will be at her best in the final two races of the series.

"Her work has been as it good as it was going into the last race and the further she goes the more it will suit her," Smith said.

"We had no luck the other day, we were posted wide and the margin wasn't that bad and as long as we can get a nice run we'll give it a shake.

"As we get up further in distance we might get a chance to beat Melito, she's obviously very good at the shorter distances we've just got to hope she's not over further but she may be."

Smith will discuss tactics with Bowman later in the week but says it will simply be about putting the filly where she is comfortable.

"Hugh would have watched the tapes and will come to the races with a plan for her and we'll speak before the races," Smith said.

"The top guys do their work and get them in a position to do their best.

"It's not like she's has to be ridden forward it's about being where she is comfortable and hopefully within striking distance."

The Anthony Cummings-trained Lovemelikearock who finished third in the Furious, will dodge the Tea Rose and compete in Wednesday's Spring Stakes at Newcastle.