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By Ray Hickson

Joe Pride picking up a talented stakes class mare and turning her into a Group 1 winner is a script we’ve read before and he’s quietly confident Argentia can take a step toward that achievement at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The five-year-old has raced just twice for Pride and as she faces the Group 2 $300,000 Toyota Forklifts Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) he’s sensing she’s close to a breakthrough.

Argentia hasn’t been afforded any luck in those two runs – she was hampered in the incident involving Big Parade when fourth in the Group 2 Missile Stakes then found herself stuck wide on speed in a gallant second to Buenos Noches in the Group 3 Show County three weeks ago.

Pride said he has no firm goals for her this preparation but is eyeing a couple of rich races as options in the coming months.

“We’re still learning about her but I think she’s set to peak in the next run or so,’’ he said.

“It was a mongrel draw in the end and it really played against her (in the Show County), and she’s better on the dry.

“I don’t know if there’s a horse going any better in the stable than her. I’m looking forward to her on Saturday.

“I’m just feeling my way through with her. In the autumn I think I’ll come up with a target for her but in this spring I’m just finding out what she’s all about.”

The mare was bred and is raced by John Camilleri who has also passed Winx’s half-sister City Of Lights onto Pride.

He said races like the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) on October 7 and $2 million The Invitation (1400m) three weeks later appeal to him for Argentia, $11 with TAB on Wednesday, but is keeping an open mind.

“John loves to race what he breeds as well so there’s no rush to get her off to stud, he enjoys his racing so hopefully we can keep her going for a season or maybe two,’’ Pride said.

Cinderella Days disappointed Pride with her first-up performance but he’s happy to wipe it from the record as a pointer to her chances in the Group 2 $300,000 Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes (1200m).

She did run fourth in the Toy Show (1100m), so she wasn’t entirely disgraced, but the trainer said things didn’t work out for her early and he’ll be keen for the mare to take control of her destiny.

“She didn’t begin well and then she got stuck back on the inside on a day you didn’t want to be there,’’ he said.

“I’ll forgive her that but she will need a really good performance which I think she is capable of doing.

“She’s better when she leads, that will be the intention on Saturday, she looks happier. She pricks her ears and looks happy.”

There’s a sense of cautious excitement from Pride in promising three-year-old Ceolwulf who is thrown in the deep end in the Group 3 $250,000 ACY Securities Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

The colt is coming off a maiden win over 1400m at Warwick Farm just over a week ago and it was the style of the win that encouraged Pride to give him the chance in what he sees as a strong race.

Argentia runs second at Randwick on August 19

“He ran the time, he ran 1:22.1 and for a spring three-year-old that’s quick,’’ he said.

“He’s a beautiful colt, he’s got a good future. Whether that’s going to be as a colt we might find out this Saturday but he’s a nice horse.”

Pride believes a number of Group 1 winners could emerge from the Ming Dynasty so he’s keeping expectations in check with Ceolwulf for now.

“It’s so hard to predict with young horses what they’re going to end up,’’ he said.

“I don’t want to get carried away and predict where he’s going to get to, I just want to let him tell us along the way.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting