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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Nathan Doyle hasn’t been in a rush with the comeback of promising mare Wooloowin but would like to see her back up a dynamic first-up win to show she’s on track for a summer target.

Trainer Nathan Doyle (Pic: Steve Hart).

The four-year-old spent over a year off the scene due to a knee issue and her return was further delayed by some wet weather so she’s making up for lost time in the Carlton Dry 3.5 Handicap (1200m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

Doyle said Wooloowin’s fresh win at Kensington over three weeks ago was a relief due to the opinion he has of her.

“I wasn’t confident to trial her or start her on the wet tracks so we tipped her back out and waited for the better tracks,’’ he said.

“I think it will be a blessing for her because she has showed us so much potential, I thought it was worth the wait and hopefully our patience pays off.

“It was terrific off so long off, it’s very hard to win first-up and she was quite dynamic. She’s a horse that’s always shown us a lot of potential so it was a bit of a relief to see her get back and do what we know she can.”

Wooloowin, $3.80 with TAB on Thursday, is being aimed at the Magic Millions mares race at the Gold Coast in January if she lives up to Doyle’s hopes for her in the coming month.

It’s somewhat significant that jockey Mitchell Bell is keen to stick with her, he’s unbeaten in three rides on Wooloowin including an easy victory at Kembla prior to her injury.

Doyle said Saturday’s race looks suitable from both a distance perspective and how the race might pan out so he’s confident she will be a major player.

“She’s a nice fresh horse but it was just the right race, and spacing the runs I thought was the right thing to do,’’ he said.

“I think she will go down there and acquit herself well, I’d be disappointed if she’s not in the finish.

“I think she’s versatile which opens up a few doors, you can ride her to the race pattern wherever she draws and the speed of the race.

“We know she has a good turn of foot and we’ve just got to trust the horse.”

Midnight Opal worked in the blinkers on Tuesday morning and that gallop led Doyle to elect to go up in distance in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1400m).

The gelding has won two of his nine starts but has raced without a lot of luck in his two runs back including a close third behind Fire Star at Rosehill two weeks ago.

The Newcastle trainer said the blinkers should help Midnight Opal at a crucial stage of the race and if they do the trick expects him to go close.

“He doesn’t seem to concentrate in the middle stages of the race,’’ he said.

“He was very strong late the other day, he’s always got that flashing light of being strong through the line but being flat from the 600m-200m which is where you win your races.

“He’s running well but being frustrating at the same time. Jason (Collett) says he’s got it there under the bonnet, he’s just got to use it.”

Wooloowin wins at Kensington on October 30

Meanwhile, Doyle hopes his Group 1 placed filly Harlem Queen develops physically during her summer break after a breakthrough campaign.

She graduated from a Class 1 win to finish runner-up in the Group 1 Flight Stakes and was fourth in both the Group 1 Spring Champion and VRC Oaks.

“I’ve always thought she was a preparation away, if she grows into that frame of hers and strengthens up she might come back with a better turn of foot,’’ he said.

“She’s had a good preparation and it’s onwards and upwards for her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Kembla Grange meeting