KEY POINTS:
There will be those who believe Juice may have been slightly undermined by a wet track run in the Wellington Guineas.
And therefore that she may have the edge off her for tomorrow's $325,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
But the crack filly's trainer John Wheeler is not one of them.
"Yes, it was a tough run and she took a while to come back from it.
"But it might have been a good thing that she finally had a race like that," he said.
"I'm a believer all horses have to go through the pain barrier at some stage and she'd been treating racing like it was a bit of fun.
"It's not a bad thing that she felt the pain.
"And the tough run didn't send her backwards - she's actually improved."
Juice doesn't need to improve at all on what she shown so far to be extremely difficult to beat in this fillies' classic.
She dominated in winning on the first day of the Hastings spring treble after rearing coming out of the gates and appearing to lose all chance.
She again proved too strong winning on the same track three weeks later before finishing sixth on the unsuitable wet track at Trentham.
"I thought that wasn't a bad effort at Trentham because she was forced down on the inside where the track as worse," said Wheeler.
The impressive part of Juice's winning efforts is the way she dominated the others late in the race.
That racing style is perfectly suited to Riccarton where Leith Innes will have the luxury of being able to make his final lunge at the leaders when he feels like it rather than be dictated to.
"She's in Christchurch and she's done very well," said Wheeler .
Daffodil looks the danger and she and Juice totally dominate the betting.
It's never an absolute guide, but the way Daffodil races with her head down you would swear the additional distance here is going to suit her.
The talented filly has not raced past 1200m in her six races and has always found the line strongly.
Trainer Kevin Grey had the opportunity to test Daffodil's potential to get more distance with the 1400m of the Wellington Guineas, but resisted the temptation because of the wet track.
"I'm glad now I didn't go to Trentham because the track was rubbish."
Gray instead took Daffodil to the Hawera meeting on October 11 where she beat older and more seasoned rivals.
And rider Hayden Tinsley is convinced Daffodil will manage distances past 1200m after the filly stormed through late to win.
"Halfway down the home straight she wasn't going to do anything, then I gave her a kick and she exploded."
Daffodil recently did a 1000m exhibition gallop between races to further tighten here for tomorrow's test.
"I'm happy with the way she travelled down here to the South Island," said Gray.
"She goes into the race a fit horse and I'll be very, very disappointed if she fails to run out the distance."
Skirmish burst into a different sphere of 3-year-old calculations when she overpowered the opposition in the Wellington Guineas last start.
That might have changed the public's assessment of the filly, but privately she has always been held in high regard.
Her form shows she can handle rain-affected footing. She has had only one run on a dead track for an unplaced effort, but rider Robbie Hannam is convinced she does not need it to be wet to produce her best.
* John Wheeler's other strong chance on the programme is Stand Tall in the $75,000 Gold Club Metropolitan Trophy, a traditional lead-up to next week's New Zealand Cup.
Stand Tall has had no luck at all in three races this preparation.
He could find no racing room late when resuming at Hastings on the middle day op their triple crown then floundered on the wet track on Guineas day at Trentham.
Being a long striding horse, Stand Tall is going to be greatly suited to the expanses and long home straight of Riccarton. He has a handy weight advantage on rival Spin Around.
LATEST ODDS
Last night's TAB fixed odds:
$3.00 Juice; $3.50 Daffodil; $12.00 Skirmish Awesome Planet; $13.00 La Etoile; $14.00 Te Akau Coup; $15.00 Glamorous Girl; $21.00 Bellalini, Addicted, Elusive Order; $26.00 Sub Prime; $31.00 Platinum Zana; $41.00 Ekstreme; $51.00 Polly Rocket; $61.00 Inferno; $101.00 Full Pitch.
