KEY POINTS:
Te Awamutu co-trainer Debbie Sweeney already has a March date to celebrate.
That's when she and her husband, comeback jockey Mark Sweeney, are expecting their first child.
But today at Rotorua, Prize Lady can add another circle around the highlights calendar when she pushes for a place in the SkyCity Auckland Cup on March 7.
"We may be running out of time for that, but there's not a lot of her so she always comes up quick," said Debbie Sweeney.
"If she goes good at Rotorua there's still a possibility of a run in the Auckland Cup."
While Prize Lady boasts a second to Calveen in the group two Travis Stakes (1600m), Sweeney knows the Prized mare is far from a good thing against R92 rivals over a similar trip today.
For a start, she doubts the 1550m on a turning Arawa Park track is the ideal combination needed to break a two-year drought.
But mostly, there's that niggling uncertainty that Sweeney's 2005 New Zealand Oaks runner-up is still the same horse after damaging a tendon at the tail end of a Queensland Oaks campaign.
"She'll definitely have to show something tomorrow [Wednesday] to have a chance of looking like making a comeback," said Sweeney.
"But to be fair to the horse, I don't think she's going to be at her best until she's over 2000m."
Prize Lady suffered a minor leg injury in a paddock accident since she last raced, over 1600m against similar class at Avondale on December 9.
But Sweeney is confident she's back near full fitness now.
New Zealand Oaks pilot, husband Mark - who expects to make a raceday comeback toward the end of March - has put the trackwork polish on her over the last week.
"She's bang on now, and her work has been good, but because she's run second in the Oaks she is hard to place."
Crusader Belle looks the toughest opponent for Prize Lady to beat today.
Her Boxing Day R76 grade win over 1600m had the look of a horse going places fast.
And she franked that form with an equally impressive next-up win against R92 rivals at Tauranga on January 10.
Both Crusader Belle and Prize Lady should be suited by the pattern of today's feature event.
With Golden Dollars, Kaaptime and Rover's Return all expected to have the pedal down early, the race sets up perfectly for a sweeper.
Prize Lady's stablemate Korzican is also worth consideration in the final event, said Debbie Sweeney.
She was impressed with her second-up fourth last time out over 1600m at Tauranga when inexperience cost her a closer slot.
Sweeney said the step up to 1900m was ideal and the 4-year-old mare would appreciate the firmer track at Rotorua.
