Racing: Anne Carina blossoms

This time last year Australian carnival riches beckoned for Te Awamutu trainer Debbie Sweeney and her exciting staying filly Anne Carina.

A year-long lay-off to fix a bone chip, and a reappearance in an intermediate 1300m at Te Aroha today, were never part of the master plan.

Sweeney, however, is banking on the unscheduled break being a blessing in disguise for the Danske mare.

She will know a lot more a little after 5pm about the direction to take with the horse who pushed filly of the year Taatletail so close in the 2004 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.

But Sweeney and her training partner, father Graeme Sanders, already know they are now dealing with a much stronger Anne Carina than the one who emerged from a Pirongia Cup win to match the best staying fillies in the land.

"She was always going to be one of those fillies who are better with time - she was never overly strong as a three-year-old," said Sweeney.

"She's 100 per cent sound now, grown a lot in the break and is one of those horses who really blossom in the warmer weather."

Whether that will be enough to burn off the likely favourite, Mohawk, today Sweeney is not sure.

Anne Carina tuned up for the raceday reappearance with a 1150m trial behind Kings Chapel at Te Awamutu on January 25.

But Sweeney's husband, Mark, Anne Carina's raceday rider today, never really got her out of third gear in the trial.

"I'd be surprised if she can win over 1300m but anything can happen when you have a horse with a bit of class," said Debbie Sweeney.

"You won't really see the best of her though until she steps up to 2000m and more."

Sweeney rates stablemate Wine Oh, another by Danske, as the best win hope of her six strong line-up today at the Counties RC meeting.

The filly has been super-impressive in winning her last two trials, the latest by three lengths over 1150m at Te Awamutu on January 25.

"She looks pretty smart so fingers crossed she backs up that trials form on raceday," she said.

Sweeney also expects Morton Babe to go close in the maiden 1300m, race three on the card.

She's fresh from a last-start flop in Justa Tad's 1000 Guineas at Riccarton last November, but fit enough to quit this class.

"We were a bit disappointed with her Riccarton run. We thought she'd give a much better account of herself.

"Any rain would help her but she should still go a good race fresh-up."

Florence May could be the best of the others Sweeney saddles today.

She's been well-backed in each of her four runs so far and there was plenty to like about her last-start second at Rotorua.

"We've always rated her, but she's been quite green and taken a while to learn what it's all about."

Meanwhile, Sweeney's New Zealand Oaks runner-up Prize Lady is bypassing the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa this Saturday in favour of the spelling paddock.

Sweeney said an Australian campaign was a possibility but wherever Prize Lady ends up her trainer is keen to avoid a repeat clash with Trentham winner Justa Tad.