Ron Quinton has set his sights on winning the Millie Fox Stakes for the third time with the improving filly, Watch My Girl.

Quinton has a special connection to the race’s namesake, Millie Fox, having trained for her in the final years of her life. Millie Fox carried on the legacy of her late husband Stan, a prominent owner, after his sudden passing in the mid-1970s, continuing to race a string of horses until her own death in 1999.

At the start of his training career, Quinton was entrusted with conditioning the horses for Millie Fox, a role he cherished.

When the race was named in her honor 29 years ago, Quinton hoped to win one of the first editions with a mare she owned to repay her faith in him.

However, that victory wasn’t to be.

“I had mares like Amber and Timeless Winds, and I was giving it my all to win the Millie Fox for her with one of her horses,” Quinton said.

“I didn’t win it with one of hers, but I did win it with one of my own horses.”

His first win came with Wynciti in 1999, and he followed it up with Daysee Doom in 2018.

This Saturday, Quinton will saddle Watch My Girl, who may not have the class of his previous winners, but her determination is her greatest strength.

“The only thing that could hold her back from becoming a top filly is her lack of burst acceleration,” Quinton explained.

“She just keeps going and going. She’s tough. When it comes to a fight, she’ll be ready, and she should get a good run from the inside barrier.”

Watch My Girl will start from barrier two in a field of nine, and with Jason Collett booked for a rival runner, Quinton has kept it in the family by selecting Alysha Collett to ride.

Watch My Girl has a solid record of five wins from 12 starts, and her only black-type race was the Angst Stakes in the spring, where she finished just over three lengths behind the winner.