Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray’s filly Tajana has the opportunity to end her juvenile campaign at the highest level after Wednesday’s AKW Farrier Ltd 2YO (1200m) at Matamata.

An Oaks Stud-bred daughter of Darci Brahma, Tajana started her career on a booming note getting within half a length of Return To Conquer in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m), with that colt going on to win Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

She returned to maiden company second-up and covered plenty of extra ground to finish fourth, and at last on Wednesday, the filly will have the advantage of an inside draw.

“She hasn’t let us down on either occasion at the races,” Ritchie said.

“Her trial beforehand was excellent, she got back and hit the line very well which is what you want to see a two-year-old filly that is going to be better in the spring doing.

“In both races she had to work around some very exciting horses, including the Sistema winner, she went a hell of a race against him and he’s obviously our top colt at the moment. Last start, from the draw she was just caught three-wide.

“She’s drawn barrier one on Wednesday and we’ve been going back on her primarily because of her wide gates, so there’s no real reason not to use the barrier this time. It doesn’t mean we’ll chase her out, but she certainly won’t have to give that head-start away.

“I don’t think she’s ever seen a running rail, so we’ll have to give her a look in trackwork.”

Ritchie identified Te Akau Racing’s record-breaking Ready To Run purchase Hostility as her biggest danger, but also acknowledged the benchmark he will set ahead of a possible tilt at the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1200m).

“She’s a really exciting filly, obviously that top colt from Te Akau has got the pedigree, the looks and the colours on him to be extremely hard to beat,” he said. “But we’ve got some race experience on him so hopefully that gets us close, or at least to give him a little bit of a fright.

“I think she’s going to love the 1400m and love Trentham, I think that would really suit her. Having said that, she would have to either win or be unlucky not to beat the colt to warrant a start. There’s not much point going down if he’s too good for us on Wednesday.

“I’d be just as comfortable, as would Rick (Williams, The Oaks Stud General Manager), to give her a break after this one, but if she puts her hand up and proves worthy of going to Wellington, we could go there. If not, it’ll certainly be her last run this time in, unfortunately there’s not a lot of grass around in the Waikato at the moment, so it’s tempting to have a go at it.”

Joining Tajana at the Matamata meeting will be first-starter Way Out in the Matamata Tractors and Machinery (1050m) and a resuming Richard Farrell in the Fertco (1400m).

-Loveracing.nz newsdesk