A wide barrier has set Royal Bender a tough task to maintain her unbeaten record in the Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.The filly, by UK Two Thousand Guineas winner Refuse To Bend, has drawn the outside gate in the nine-horse field with top jockey Craig Williams having the task of overcoming it at his first ride on her.Ballarat trainer Darren Weir has done a good job placing her and she has progressed quickly through the grades to reach Listed level at her fourth race start."She's i

A wide barrier has set Royal Bender a tough task to maintain her unbeaten record in the Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

The filly, by UK Two Thousand Guineas winner Refuse To Bend, has drawn the outside gate in the nine-horse field with top jockey Craig Williams having the task of overcoming it at his first ride on her.

Ballarat trainer Darren Weir has done a good job placing her and she has progressed quickly through the grades to reach Listed level at her fourth race start.

"She's in good order. She looks well and galloped well on Wednesday morning," Weir said.

Royal Bender hasn't raced beyond 1000m in her three outings to date which have resulted in wins at Swan Hill, the Geelong synthetic track and Flemington.

But Weir is not concerned about her tackling 1200m for the first time.

"I think she'll run further later on so the 1200 metres is no worry at all. It's just that she's going to need luck from the barrier. It's a tricky draw," he said.

Royal Bender is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Blue Royalty and Testa Reale.

Testa Reale, prepared by Tony Vasil, was runner-up to Jadescent in the 2005 Crockett Stakes and went on to run third to Virage De Fortune in the Group Three Champagne Stakes (1200m), also at Moonee Valley.

Blue Royalty won six races for Weir and ran third to Ellicorsam in the 2006 Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington.

Royal Bender strikes a smart pair of fillies prepared by Peter Moody - Curtana and Miss Gai Flyer.

Moody had also nominated the two for Saturday's Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm but decided to keep them both at home.

Curtana, runner-up to Master Harry in the Streets Ice Cream Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on debut in March, won over 1000m at Caulfield later that month.

The Exceed And Excel filly, a half-sister to Group Two Caulfield International Sprint winner Sunburnt Land, resumed with a strong, swooping victory over Marmaa over the Caulfield 1000m on July 31 and will again be ridden by Luke Nolen.

Miss Gai Flyer, to be ridden by Glen Boss, is a Moonee Valley 1200m winner who hasn't raced since finishing second in the Group Two Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at Ascot in April.

Curtana is $2.20 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Miss Gai Flyer ($5), Royal Bender ($6) with Dizlago at $9 and Parisian Sunrise next best at $9.50.