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By Ray Hickson

She’s a sister to an Australian Derby winner and trainer Mark Newnham says he wouldn’t be surprised if Sanstoc finds herself in an Oaks before the end of the season.

Trainer Mark Newnham.

If she does it’ll be a quite a performance from horse and trainer as the three-year-old finally makes her debut in the Ranvet Handicap (1400m) at Kensington on Wednesday.

Newnham said the full-sister to Tavago, Derby winner in 2016, has taken a bit more time to make it to the track largely due to temperament issues but is confident those are now behind her and she’s ready to show the talent he feels she possesses.

“She hasn’t put a foot wrong this prep, her first trial was good and her second trial was better. It’s a nice race to start her off in,’’ Newnham said.

“She’s a mile plus filly but quite similar to fillies I’ve had in other years, hopefully we end up in an Oaks but we’ll find out.

“Everything is going to have to happen quickly for her but she’s a nice filly and is improving as the prep goes on.

“We’ll get through Wednesday before we make any plans that are too ambitious but I’d expect she would run very well.”

Sanstoc, $4 with TAB on Tuesday, has been in and out of the Newnham stable four times and didn’t have her first trial until January 13 and she won her second 11 days later.

Naturally, she's not currently on the radar as far as the Group 1 Australian Oaks, run on April 9, is concerned.

Premier apprentice Tom Sherry rides her in work and was naturally the partner in her trials and Newnham credits him for putting in the hard yards to get her settled.

“She’s a really nice filly. She’s taken a fair while to get going, she had a bit of a hot temperament so we’ve had to be a bit patient with her,’’ he said.

“When she’s started to get a bit hot we’ve turned her out and started again, this prep she’s done everything without incident.”

While not doubting he has a filly with plenty of talent, Newnham said Sanstoc will be allowed to find her feet at Kensington and that’s his only concern. Otherwise, he said she will be hard to beat.

“What may be against her would be how the track plays, she’s a filly I’ll be riding quietly early in the race,’’ he said.

“It’ll have to be a track where you can run on or with only eight runners there will have to be enough pressure up front for her to be able to run on.”

Stablemates Shadow Bridge and Stormborn tackle the Davali Handicap (1000m) and Newnham said it’s hard to forecast how that race might pan out with a lot of speed engaged and a possibility of some rain late in the day.

Sanstoc wins a trial at Randwick on January 24

The former hasn’t raced since early December while the latter is getting close to a win after three runs back from a break.

They've both drawn towards the outside but the trainer says given it's the last race he can have an open mind about how to attack it.

“Shadow Bridge is coming off a freshen up where he generally takes a run. Even though it’s only seven or eight weeks he tends to take a run,’’ he said.

“Stormborn is going well, she improved into her prep last time. She likes the edge off the ground, it’s a suitable type of race for her. The alley could be a plus or a curse.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Kensington meeting