Lightly-raced filly Zan is beginning to learn what it's all about and her trainer Craig Carmody is hopeful she will get her reward at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot has shown vast improvement this preparation after an underwhelming debut on the Kensington Track in May.
Carmody has been impressed with her development, which was on show first-up this campaign when Zan ran a strong second at Kembla over 1500m.
The Randwick trainer is eager to see Zan go one better in the UTJ Interiors Midway Maiden Handicap (1600m).
"She has come back a lot more mature," Carmody said.
"Her first run at the Kensington Track was a bit disappointing and she didn't show a great deal in her first preparation.
"This time in I have seen a marked improvement in her acceleration at home and it was vindicated with how she trialled first-up this time.
"She took it to the races and I thought her effort to run second when they ran home in 33 (seconds) was really solid."
Carmody expects Zan will be better suited over longer trips in time but believes Saturday's second-up test is ideally suited for the filly. Chad Lever will pilot Zan, a $2.70 TAB favourite to break her maiden, from barrier one.
"I think is a filly that will no doubt like 2000m," Carmody said. "It's a nice step for her over the mile on Saturday, given how she went first-up.
"She has drawn the nice gate and should get a good run."
Carmody's other two starters on the card are long odds with $101 outsider Marvel Man in the Hume Doors Cg&e Maiden Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old gelding has mixed his form this preparation after following up a first-up second at Goulburn with a sixth over the same 1000m trip.
"I was encouraged when he finished second at Goulburn first-up and then last start, I think he is looking for 1200m," Carmody said.
"He shows me at home that is better with the sit and although it looked like he had a lovely run the other day, I think they going that pace at the 1000m.
"I would have liked to ride him with a sit on Saturday, that's my first instinct to get him to settle over that distance but we will have to see what the map looks like."
My Cartouche ($101) returns from a spell in the Baines Masonry F&m Maiden Plate (1200m). The filly didn't beat a runner home in her only start earlier this year and remains a work in progress.
"It's a bit of a learning curve with My Cartouche," Carmody said. "We would like to see her do a bit better but she has been working well enough to suggest she will run a reasonable race."
Chad Lever will partner all three runners.
View final fields with full form & race replays for Kembla Grange here