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By John Schell

Group 1-placed filly Pier Pressure ($1.75 favourite on TAB) will put her spring credentials on the line when she resumes in Thursday’s Terrigal Hotel Provincial Maiden Plate (1200m) at Gosford.

The Kris Lees trained three-year-old has only had four starts, but ran a career best when holding down third placing in the Inglis Sires’ at Randwick in the autumn.

Pier Pressure (Dylan Gibbons) heads to the gates at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

“She’s obviously a Group 1-placed filly and that’s great for her residual value, but you also have to bear in mind that she’s still a maiden,” said Lees.

“She was $151 in the Sires’ and it was a thrill for her connections to get some black type, but now she has to knock off a maiden and we’ll go from there.”

Lees said he has no grand plans at this stage for Pier Pressure, which was sent for a spell after following the Sires’ placing with an eighth in the Champagne Stakes, also at group 1 level, behind Militarize.

“She’s had two trials in preparation for the Gosford race and she’s been pleasing me with how she’s progressing,” said Lees.

“She is still a bit woolly coming out of a winter spell, so there is plenty of improvement in her. But in saying that, she is going well enough to be winning first-up.”

Dylan Gibbons has been aboard Pier Pressure in each of her race starts, and while Darryl McLellan has been in the saddle in her two recent trials, Gibbons hops back aboard at Gosford.

“Dylan knows the horse well and has a good barrier in gate three to use so it looks a nice starting point this campaign,” Lees said.

Lees will also be represented at Gosford by last start third placegetter Classic Deel in the Thomas Painting Benchmark 64 Handicap (2100m).

“She hit the line well at Hawkesbury last week and I’m happy enough with her to start her again on the seven-day back-up,” said Lees.

“The step up to 2100m looks like it will suit her and Jason Collett sticks with her. Hopefully there’s a suitable enough speed on for her and she can get home over the top of them.”

Best Bets: Race 1, 1-Avonview ($4.60), Race 3, 1-Global Empire ($4.20)
Best Value: Race 4, 8-Commander Bell ($9)

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Gosford here