NEWCASTLE trainer Kris Lees will set promising filly Elimbari the difficult task of attempting to emulate the deeds of former champion Samantha Miss this spring.
But she is just one of many Hunter horses chasing big races this spring.
¦ Trainer Paul Perry will aim Newport at running in his third straight Melbourne Cup (3200m), as well as the Caulfield Cup (2400m) and group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m).
¦ Todd Howlett will use the group 3 Cameron Handicap (1300m) at Newcastle as Star Of Octagonal's main lead-up to the group 1 Epsom (1600m) at Randwick.
¦ Testarhythm, which Darren Smith trains, will be nominated tomorrow for the group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and may run in the group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
¦ Parriwi (Kris Lees) is being aimed at the group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield over 1600m for three-year-old fillies.
¦ Lees will begin Timetable's run for the Newcastle Cup and the listed Wyong Cup (2100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
¦ Prince Braeman (Perry) is in line to add to his black-type victories in Sydney and Brisbane by claiming the Cameron Handicap.
Lees said he is planning to send Elimbari, which showed plenty of talent in her two-year-old season, along the same track as Samantha Miss as a three-year-old.
This means Lees is likely to give her a shot at greatness by running her in the four-race Princess Series in Sydney, for three-year-old fillies that Samantha Miss dominated in 2008.
Samantha Miss became only the second filly, after Angst in 1993, to win the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m), Furious Stakes (1400m), Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) and the Flight Stakes (1600m), which make up the series.
Lees has been impressed with Elimbari since she returned from her break.
The youngster is by Fastnet Rock from former star Newcastle mare Shalt Not, which makes her a half-sister to the ill-fated Amelia's Dream.
Amelia's Dream was considered a good thing to win the Golden Slipper three years ago after she blitzed the Silver Slipper, but those dreams were shattered when she broke down during her win.
Elimbari showed she has a fair splash of her big sister's ability when she scored on debut in Sydney and was posted immediately as favourite for the Golden Slipper.
She finished second to Solar Charged in the Kindergarten Stakes and fifth of eight in the Reisling Stakes in March 8 before running third to Crystal Lily in the Golden Slipper on April 3.
"Elimbari was over the top by the Golden Slipper," Lees said.
"But what do you do? They only get one chance at that big race, so we took it on, but the experience she gained in the big time can only help her cope with what is to come.
"She has toughened up and looks great since her spell."
Lees will trial Elimbari at Broadmeadow today and she will kick off in the Silver Shadow over 1200m at Warwick Farm on August 21.
"If she did go well first-up, she would follow the same path as Samantha Miss," he said.
"Of course I won't get another Samantha Miss, but I think Elimbari deserves her chance.
"Samantha Miss was just too good for the other fillies of her year, and I do think Elimbari will show she is competitive in the same sort of races."
Lees said Parriwi, which went from winning at Port Macquarie to scoring in Sydney and Brisbane as a two-year-old, deserved a crack at a race like the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield next month.
"I have no doubt Parriwi will run out a metric mile and the Thousand Guineas is the group 1 race for the girls over 1600 metres, so she will get her chance to show she is good enough to go south for it," Lees said.
Another Lees two-year-old, Dove Lake, is back in work.
The filly out of former Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove will play a hand in the spring.
"Dove Lake showed in her debut win that she is an out-and-out sprinter, so I am looking for a couple of the sprints over the spring for her," Lees said.
He is also the new trainer of former English horse Timetable and Villiers, which is owned by Lloyd Williams.
Australian Bloodstock bought both the horses for Newcastle clients.
Timetable, which won a Broadmeadow barrier trial in impressive fashion last week, is due to kick off for Lees on Saturday at Randwick.
Lee Freedman had Timetable but the horse did not make it to the Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup last year.
Villiers, which has been lightly raced, is being aimed at the $75,000 Broadmeadow Mile over 1600m on Newcastle Cup day.
Perry said that Prince Braeman, which won in Sydney and was successful in the Chief De Beers Stakes at Doomben, in Brisbane, might resume on Saturday at Randwick in the Missile Stakes.
Danny Nikolic has been booked for the ride.
Newport may return in the listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 14.
Perry hopes Prince Braeman will give him the first leg of the biggest double in Newcastle racing.
The gelding is being aimed at the $150,000 Cameron Handicap, on September 15.
The following day Perry will be out to win the $185,000 Newcastle Gold Cup with Newport.
"I could not be happier with Prince Braeman and Newport," he said.
"They had a nice spell in the Queensland winter warmth and they have come back in fine fettle.
"Newport will be nominated for both the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup, and I think he could be ready for the Newcastle Cup in September."
Lower Belford trainer Todd Howlett said Star Of Octagonal was back in work after the amazing preparation in which he won the South Pacific Stakes at Rosehill over 1400m and the $750,000 Inglis Guineas over 1600m at Scone.
"I won't push the horse but the plan is to run him in Sydney first-up and then the Cameron Handicap," Howlett said.
"If he gets through that well he will go on to the Epsom and possibly Melbourne after that.
"All I san say is that he had a great spell, because he looks brilliant right now.
"I am hoping to get permission to bring him to Newcastle to work a few times, like I did before he won at Scone."
Smith was overjoyed with the first-up win of Testarhythm at Canterbury last Wednesday.
"This is a real good horse and I am going to pay up for him on Tuesday for the Caulfield Guineas," the in-form trainer said.
"He has done enormous with that first-up run under his belt and he might even get into the Golden Rose with a bit of luck."
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