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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Nathan Doyle is in two minds about where to point his Group 1 placed filly Harlem Queen this preparation and would like to leave Rosehill on Saturday with a clearer picture.

Trainer Nathan Doyle (Pic: Steve Hart).

After a breakthrough spring where she chased Lady Shenandoah home in the Flight Stakes and trained on to run fourth in the VRC Oaks many assumed she’d be set on an autumn Oaks path.

But Doyle said he doubts that will be the case, certainly not the ATC Oaks, given she’s come back from her spell having furnished and looking sharper.

He’s booked James McDonald to partner Harlem Queen in the Quayclean Handicap (1400m).

“The ultimate aim will be she’ll end up in Queensland, but with a good break she’s come back a lot sharper,’’ Doyle said.

“Whether she is an Oaks horse the jury is still out, the mile to 1800m might be her go. Maybe 2000m.

“So we have nothing set in stone because we feel she has come back sharper and we’ll let her tell the tale after her first-up run.”

The booking of McDonald begs the question of whether Doyle has Harlem Queen, $3.60 with TAB on Thursday, ready for a first-up win.

On that score he said she’s “definitely ready to go” on the back of a couple of trials including the latest where she closed on stablemate and Galaxy favourite Private Harry in a 900m heat earlier this month.

“I didn’t want to put her in a 1200m in case she got run off her feet because she does take a little bit of time to get into her rhythm,’’ Doyle said.

“That was the main reason for going to 1400m. She’ll be able to come out and grab the bridle and fill her lungs with oxygen before she shows her turn of foot at the end.

“It’s the right starting point to see where she is this preparation.

“On her work on Tuesday, and her most recent trial, I’d be disappointed if she’s not right in the finish.

“She was all leg last preparation and needed time to furnish into herself and that’s what she has done.”

It’s getting close to swansong time for Dalaalaat, who lines up alongside Harlem Queen, and Doyle said while it could be his last run he’s encouraged by jockey Nash Rawiller not losing faith in the gelding.

He put in his best performance in three runs this prep when beaten one length in running fifth behind Spring Lee at Randwick two weeks ago.

“You wouldn’t find a sounder eight-year-old in training but whether he has the desire to want to be there,’’ he said.

“Nash till thinks there’s one in him so that’s why Nash is on and we’ll leave it up to him. We’d like to give him a positive ride from 1400m and see what happens.”

Harlem Queen runs second in a Newcastle trial on March 5

Nathan Doyle on Super Bright (race 1): “She was disappointing last start, she had a nice run in transit but was gone a long way out. She’s an older mare now so we elected to put some blinkers on to see if we can sharpen her up. She’s drawn a soft gate, you can’t put her out of her comfort zone but she’ll get a nice run.”

On Salisano (race 1): “It’s probably taken the last couple of runs to get her up to where she is fitness wise. I think back in grade with the 3kg off she bangs out of the gates. We’ve elected to take the ear muffs off this time, sometimes it can sedate a horse a bit too much and hold them back. If she’s got two or three lengths up her sleeve it puts her right in the race.”

On The Extreme Cat (race 1 ): "He’s drawn the worst out of the three but he’s definitely going well. He’s also in at Gosford so we’ll have a look at both races and make a decision.”

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