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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Matt Laurie says he’s placed unbeaten filly Soft Love to advantage so far and she's now earned her chance at a valuable stakes win in the Listed $200,000 Coolmore Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone on Saturday.

Trainer Matt Laurie (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The three-year-old, who carries the same colours as Laurie’s star Treasurethe Moment, made a leap from scoring at Bendigo first-up to a dominant Caulfield win six weeks ago that encouraged the trainer to look north.

Laurie has enjoyed a fruitful autumn in NSW highlighted by three Group 1 wins (Treasurethe Moment’s Vinery and Oaks plus Vinrock’s Sires’ wins) and he feels Soft Love has her share of potential.

“We placed her moderately at the start of this prep and she won really well, when you think they are city class and you have to throw them in that class and see how they go,’’ Laurie said.

“She’s a nice filly, unbeaten, and scored a very stylish win at Caulfield. She won with authority so she’s on the way up.

“We’re just trying to chase some black type. If she can get the job done in something like this we can take her up to Queensland.”

Soft Love, $3 with TAB on Wednesday, has lured Harry Coffey to Scone to continue his association with the filly who drew the inside gate in the Denise’s Joy.

She bridged the gap between her Caulfield win and Scone with a barrier trial at Rosehill last week.

“We brought her up to get some experience in that direction and we found this race,’’ Laurie said.

The inside gate may be a positive or negative for Soft Love as Laurie said she can take a short while to get into stride but her asset is a strong turn of foot.

“She probably likes to find her feet a little bit,’’ he said.

“There would be speedier horses there early on in the race in comparison to her but she’s good enough to take a split.

“She has good pick up speed so if it is there she will be able to take it.”

Miss Icelandic is another winner Laurie has produced in Sydney this autumn, she scored first-up for the stable at Randwick three weeks ago.

He’d prefer to tackle the Listed $200,000 Emirates Park Kids Foundation Ortensia Stakes (1100m) over the GRO Events Handicap (1100m) but as second emergency in the former has to play the waiting game.

The mare has drawn similarly in both races and Laurie said that should afford her every chance in which ever race she contests.

“She’ll probably get a similar run to the one she won at Randwick,’’ he said.

“She did a good job there so hopefully there’s more in store.

“We’re hoping to snag a bit of black type, she’s won a few in town, but the prizemoney is so good there anyway at the end of the day if she’s better off in (the benchmark race) then that’s where we’ll go.”

Laurie said he’d have to think about whether Sparkling takes her place in the Lion Handicap (1300m) after she drew near the outside.

Soft Love's trial at Rosehill on May 9

Meanwhile, the trainer said reports about ATC Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment’s time in the paddock have been encouraging and is looking forward to getting her back for a spring campaign.

“We’ve had some good updates along the way, she’s putting on some nice weight,’’ he said.

“I’ve been meaning to get out to see her personally but we’ve been getting videos and photos and she looks very happy.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Scone meeting