Star Queensland filly Paprika continues to blossom in Melbourne ahead of her assignment in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.Trainer Liam Birchley is so impressed with Paprika he decided she didn't need a barrier trial on Tuesday to familiarise her with the straight course.Paprika instead worked strongly at Caulfield where she is stabled.Birchley will decide after the Coolmore (1200m) whether the three-year-old runs in the Group One Patinack Farm Classic over the same
Star Queensland filly Paprika continues to blossom in Melbourne ahead of her assignment in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Trainer Liam Birchley is so impressed with Paprika he decided she didn't need a barrier trial on Tuesday to familiarise her with the straight course.
Paprika instead worked strongly at Caulfield where she is stabled.
Birchley will decide after the Coolmore (1200m) whether the three-year-old runs in the Group One Patinack Farm Classic over the same trip on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival or heads home to Brisbane.
Paprika has pleased Birchley enormously since her first-up fourth to Lucky Secret in the Group Two Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on October 10.
It was her first start at weight-for-age and the first time she had met older horses but in the Coolmore Stud Stakes she will be against her own age group at set weights.
Birchley believes Paprika will strip much fitter for the Coolmore which will be only her second start since undergoing minor knee surgery following her second to Phelan Ready in the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January.
"I was going to trial her at Flemington but when I inspected her yesterday she didn't need a trial," Birchley said.
"She's fit and ready to go.
"She's improved enormously but I couldn't quantify by how many lengths.
"Her run in the Schillaci was very good and she was only 85 per cent fit then."
Birchley is also yet to decide if Paprika will return to Melbourne for the major autumn races or runs in the Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast in January.
"I haven't decided about the Magic Millions yet," Birchley said.
"But she'll either run in the Magic Millions (Trophy) or go back to Melbourne for the autumn."
The Melbourne races Birchley has in mind are all at Group One level - the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on January 30, Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on February 20 and Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 6.
Birchley is also keen to start promising filly Devils Melody at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
Devils Melody produced an excellent performance at her debut when runner-up to Marmaa in the Inglis Juvenile (1000m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
"It was good run and if she keeps going the way she is I'll run her over 1000 metres down the straight at Flemington on Cup day," Birchley said.