Small-track specialist Imtops has come through a torrid run against the males and has trainer Joe Pride confident she will be hard to stop in Wednesday's Darley Crown at Hawkesbury.The six-year-old comes into the $100,000 1300-metre fillies and mares race after a close fifth to gelding Without Compromise first-up at Randwick on April 11.The eight-race program at Hawkesbury is an Australian Jockey Club metropolitan meeting."I was pretty happy with her against the boys but she didn't want to go th

Small-track specialist Imtops has come through a torrid run against the males and has trainer Joe Pride confident she will be hard to stop in Wednesday's Darley Crown at Hawkesbury.

The six-year-old comes into the $100,000 1300-metre fillies and mares race after a close fifth to gelding Without Compromise first-up at Randwick on April 11.

The eight-race program at Hawkesbury is an Australian Jockey Club metropolitan meeting.

"I was pretty happy with her against the boys but she didn't want to go through that gap when it was there," Pride said.

The narrow opening appeared in the final 200 metres but Without Compromise beat her to the punch.

"She got galloped on and had a big cut on her back leg but I've fixed that up and she is fine," Pride said.

"Once she got clear room near that last 100 metres she worked to the line nicely and got beat a short margin in a pretty hard race."

Imtops has drawn barrier eight of 14 and Pride is expecting jockey Rod Quinn to have the mare close to the speed on the tight track on which she won over 1000 metres last year.

"All of her wins have been on small tracks like Hawkesbury, Wyong and Canterbury," Pride said.

"Most of the speed is outside her and I don't want to be boxed in on her, we'll be looking to be positive on her.

"I do like her leading but it's up to Rod where she settles."

Pride said Imtops could be in the frame for a trip to Queensland for the winter.

"I wouldn't rule out taking her up north but we'll know more after a couple of runs," Pride said.

"We'll take it one run at a time, she needs dry tracks and hopefully she has one Wednesday."

The Hawkesbury track was rated a dead four on Tuesday with fine weather forecast overnight and on race day.

The Peter Snowden-trained Cajou is the $4.60 favourite in pre-post betting.

She finished third to Court last start in the Group Two Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 11.

Cajou has not won since February last year when she defeated Gergis over 1200 metres at Rosehill.

Lady Game, who finished just behind Cajou in the Sapphire, is the second pick at $4.80 while Imtops is rated a $16 chance.