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Champion jockey James McDonald says unbeaten filly Coolangatta is still the benchmark for the two-year-olds but that could all change when boom colt Great Barrier Reef debuts at Rosehill on Saturday.
The $1.4 million son of I Am Invincible, already as short as $13 with TAB in Golden Slipper betting without having raced, steps out in the Group 3 $160,000 Fujitsu General Canonbury Stakes (1100m).
McDonald has partnered Coolangatta to all three wins to date so knows plenty about where she stands and he's been on Great Barrier Reef's back in both barrier trials.
"She's unbeaten and won the best two-year-old race so far so she's the benchmark and everyone has got to get to her level,'' he said.
"But there will be plenty nipping at her heels shortly."
Great Barrier Reef won his first trial appearance at the end of November then reappeared at Rosehill on January 17 and McDonald kept him tucked away before letting him stride through the line.
He was the $2 favourite with TAB on Thursday to make a winning debut and if he does that will significantly shorten his Golden Slipper quote.
McDonald said he's shown all the right signs in his trials and can only expect a positive debut.
"He's a lovely horse, he has a big price tag on him, he's been taken slowly through the Chris Waller process as all the good ones do,'' he said.
"He's had two beautiful trials to prepare, he's just a lovely athletic colt, and both have been educational.
"He has untapped ability and just has to harness it in the right way."
He's one of three million dollar colts in the Canonbury – others being Flashing Steel ($1 million) and Zambezi River ($1.15 million).
The last Golden Slipper winner to run top three in the Canonbury was Vancouver who won both races in 2015. McDonald was on board Home Affairs for Coolmore in last year's renewal and they were narrowly beaten by Zethus.
McDonald partners Ojai for Godolphin in the Group 3 $160,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) for the first time on race day but after riding her in a recent trial believes she's a filly of quality.
Ojai won the Kirkham Plate on debut in October and finished third in the $1m Golden Gift.
"She went beautifully, she's a lovely talented big strong filly,'' he said.
"She couldn't have done much more to be fair in her first two starts and she's come back in good order looking at her trial."
Of course McDonald's big assignment for the day is steering headliner Anamoe in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m).
While aware that the distance is at the bottom end of the colt's powers he liked what he saw in his trial under two weeks ago and can only expect him be playing a major role in the finish.
"It was a normal Anamoe trial, he'll be beautifully prepared as always,'' he said.
"He has some big targets in the autumn but he's arguably the best three-year-old colt in the land and whatever he runs in he's going to be hard to beat.
"He's just a very good horse. James (Cummings) wouldn't be running him if he wasn't there to almost blow them away, he'll be running well."