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By Neil Evans

A lightly raced local filly is set to return with a bang at Monday's Muswellbrook meeting.

Ivy Diva ($5 into $4.40 favourite on TAB), a three-year-old daughter of underrated stallion and Listed winner Sebring Sun and trained by Tim McIntosh, hasn't started since a smart off-speed maiden win in heavy ground at Scone in early August.

But she signalled her intention to pick up where she left off with a dominant trial win at home less than a fortnight ago.

Ivy Diva (Blake Spriggs) in winning form at Scone. Image by Bradley Photographers

That open trial win over 800m, run in 46.80 secs, was one of the quickest of the session, and only marginally slower than the time run by dual metro BM 78 winner Dehorned Unicorn.

It also came on a Soft 6 rating which should be around the same mark for Ivy Diva's return assignment in a competitive TAB Benchmark 58 Hcp over 1000m to close the program, with Muswellbrook's surface currentluy rated a Soft 5.

Ivy Diva is drawn wide in 13, but late in the day that may be no obstacle, with runners generally scouting well off the rail by then, and she is out of a mare by the prolific wet track sire I Am Invincible.

Earlier in the meeting another home tracker can also strike fresh and finally break through when she resumes in the Hospitality Packages For Big Dance Day over 900m.

Tough four-year-old mare Missile Love ($4.40) hasn't raced since mid-June when she ended a prep that included three consecutive close and at times luckless second placings, each time running home hard from well off speed.

By Doncaster winner and top notch soft tracker Kermadec, and part of the local Ben Blay stable, Missile Love was given an easy trial 13 days ago and is on track to get suitable soft ground.

In fact, any more unexpected rain would only enhance her credentials.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Muswellbrook here