Jockey Ben Allen can feel the quality in Instant Celebrity and is expecting the mare to bounce back at Flemington.
Allen rides Instant Celebrity for the first time on Saturday when they team up in the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1410m).
With Craig Williams and Jamie Kah both sidelined through suspension, Allen, who does quite a lot of riding for trainer Phillip Stokes, has got the call up.
Instant Celebrity won the Group 1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville in May before finishing second in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) two weeks later and has faced the starter twice this campaign.
After a pleasing first-up third to Probabeel in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 28, Instant Celebrity finished sixth to Turaath in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 11.
Stokes reported Instant Celebrity pulled-up with grade three mucus which explained her lack-lustre performance.
Knowing he had been given the call up to ride Instant Celebrity, Allen partnered the mare in a slow piece of work last week before galloping the mare in her final workout on Tuesday.
“She did a soft bit of work last week and was laid-back and switched off in her work,” Allen told SENTrack.
“I didn’t get too much of a feel of her but galloping her on Tuesday she was very switched on and ready to go and could not have worked any better leading into Saturday.
“She’s got a very good turn of foot. She’s drawn a good barrier to get a good run and we just need a bit of luck.
“If she brings her best, she’s capable of beating that field.”
Allen also rides Sir Dragonet in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and Amade in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m).
His three rides come in legs of the quaddie on Saturday and Victoria Racing Club Executive General Manager – Racing, Leigh Jordon, issued a statistic during the week that 73% of runners in the four quadrella legs have won a ‘Black Type’ race which shows the depth of fields on Saturday.