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Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup hopes $2000 filly Fleeting Stryke can continue to step up as she runs in the Arrowfield Kembla Grange Classic on Friday. Bateup will carry home town hopes in the Group 3 with the Stryker filly, which she has always thought would stay.

“I actually got her at the Scone sale for just $2000 and set her for the two-year-old race there during the carnival and she ran second,” Bateup said. “She always showed she was a good filly and straight after that this is the race that was next on my list.

“Her female side is full English Derby and Oaks winners and as we have stepped her up in trip she has just got better and better. The mile with the home track advantage was perfect for her and it going to give her a chance to show how good she is.”

Left: Fleeting Stryke and Jay Ford coast to victory at Hawkesbury. Image by - Bradley Photographers

Fleeting Stryke had proven a touch frustrating for Bateup recording six placings in first 11 starts. She gave her freshened-up after a summer of racing, which included Kembla and city placings, and took the filly to Hawkesbury over 1300m where she scored a good win.

“She was probably looking for a bit further than that but it was good to get that win out of the way before coming to this race,” Bateup said. “It give you confidence you are not just hoping with her.

“She has worked well since and she is going to roll forward and run a bold race. We are using this race as a bit of gauge because we have her in the Oaks and I think she is going to be even more effective over that trip.”

Bateup had also nominated Princess Kalli for the Group 3 but she will run in a much easier at Newcastle on Saturday: “It is a very good quality field in the Classic and she is not up to that just yet,” Bateup said.

View the weights with full form & replays for Kembla Grange here