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By Ray Hickson

Form doesn’t count for everything in races but trainer Peter Robl is adamant his speedy filly Deep Expectation has the credentials to earn her the title of the horse to beat in Tuesday's rescheduled $200,000 Over The Line Racing Wellington Boot (1100m).

Though still chasing her first win, Deep Expectation resumed with a gallant second behind Plymstock at Randwick in January then finished fifth and under two lengths off Seven Veils in a Kensington maiden. That filly then won the Reisling Stakes and contested the Golden Slipper.

The filly then bumped into Willinga Beast at Canterbury two weeks ago so Robl says he doesn’t fear too many at Wellington.

“She’s run in some very hard races, even when she ran fifth at Randwick that day it’s been a strong form race,’’ he said.

“Though she was beaten quite easily at Canterbury I think the winner is pretty good too. All the races she’s been in she’s run well but they’ve probably been that little bit tough for her.”

Robl has been keeping an eye on how the Boot opposition has been shaping up and pointed to the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott representative Sweet Baby Boom, who ran third in the same Canterbury race, as the main threat.

The market agrees with Robl as Deep Expectation was $3.70 favourite on Saturday ahead of the Tulloch Lodge charge.

Deep Expectation runs second at Canterbury on March 10

“There’s been no real standouts all year but they’ve been a solid bunch of two-year-olds the whole way through,’’ he said.

“I think Gai’s horse is the only one that could beat her.

“I watched the Coonamble lead up race and all things being equal I wouldn’t think those horses could beat her, she has the speed which will be an advantage to her around the track. I think she is going to prove very hard to beat.”

Deep Expectation will be ridden by Jeff Penza on Sunday and Robl expects her to make good use of an inside barrier but isn’t hell bent on leading.

She didn’t find the front at Canterbury but that was as much by design to safeguard against a tough run on a heavy track.

“She’s a very quick filly early, she could have led the other day but we elected not to because the track was so heavy,’’ he said.

“She was happy to come back and take a sit which was perfect. She’s drawn to advantage, she’s going to jump and land on the bunny and if something wants to go hard again at least we know she’s going to be happy to sit second or third.

“Her racing style is going to suit the Wellington track.

“She’s come out of the run well and I’m happy with the way she’s heading. Jeff Penza rides these tracks well, which will suit, so I couldn’t be happier with her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Wellington meeting