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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Joe Pride has a Group 1 target in the back of his mind next preparation for Dashing Legend so he’s very interested to see how the recent recruit fares in her second run for the stable at Randwick on Tuesday.

Joe Pride (Pic: Steve Hart)

The four-year-old was purchased by Sheamus Mills for $1.6 million and sent to Pride, and she made a big impression on the trainer when she lumped 61.5kg to a first-up win just over two weeks ago.

Pride has set the $300,000 Precise Air Choisir Handicap (1100m) as something of a testing ground for the autumn.

“It was an impressive win, it’s not easy to do that against the boys,’’ Pride said.

“I’m very happy with her. It’s a good chance this will be it for her, I’ll give her a good break for the autumn carnival.

“The race was always going to attract some nice horses, it’s a good field and a good test for her.

“We’re finding out a bit about her, where she fits in we will have a better idea after Tuesday.”

Dashing Legend, $3.90 with TAB on Monday, drops to 54.5kg in the Choisir and Pride sees around 1200m as her limit.

That makes her not unlike the recently retired Group 1 winner Mariamia and that’s a line Pride is taking in the early stages of getting to know this mare.

Mariamia also won in her first preparation for the Warwick Farm trainer and came back in her second to take out the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m).

“The race I have in mind if she goes well would be the Galaxy but she’s got to get her rating up a bit,’’ Pride said.

“She’s profiling to me as good as Mariamia at the same point. Whether or not at the second prep she can go on with it, that’s the trick, but she’s a nice mare.”

Sinawaan is a new addition to the Pride team and will be having his first run as a gelding, somewhat unusual for a seven-year-old, in the Choisir alongside another stablemate Dragonstone.

He said the horse strikes him as a 1400m type so may find it a touch sharp but has seen something in his two trials, including a second to Dashing Legend, to say he could head to the $1m The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on November 18 second-up if he’s competitive.

“He’s done really well, he’s had a couple of trials, I have him ready to run a nice race fresh but improve,’’ he said.

“I’ve seen the horse race a bit but I don’t know much about him.

"If he goes well he might go straight to The Hunter but he would have to run a good race to justify that.”

Dashing Legend wins at Randwick on October 21

Meanwhile, Pride said he’s content with his Big Dance runner King Of The Castle having to overcome a wide gate in the $3 million feature.

The Wild Card winner took advantage of barrier one to force his way into the field two weeks ago and the trainer warns to not underestimate him.

“At the Randwick mile, barriers aren’t that important,’’ he said.

“If he’s three deep with a bit of cover he’s probably in a better position to strike than three back on the fence smothered up. I don’t mind it. He’ll run a big race.”

All the entries, form and replays for Tuesday's Randwick meeting