Wagga trainer Jack Strutt believes the best is still to come from group 1 winner Stagger Out Lee as she prepares for Friday night's Newcastle Cup (715m) at The Gardens and another rematch with Cawbourne Magic.
Stagger Out Lee produced an amazing last-to-first burst in the closing stages of the group 1 Bold Trease (715m) at Sandown two weeks ago to beat Cawbourne Magic by almost two lengths.
She raced more prominently after starting well from box seven in her Newcastle Cup heat last week, but she was unable to get past Cawbourne Magic late, finishing three-quarters of a length away in second.
The pair meet again in the $25,000-to-the-winner final where Stagger Out Lee has box two and Jodie Lord-trained Cawbourne Magic the six. Strutt was pleased with last week's start and the draw for the decider.
"She definitely started a lot better last week than she has been, it's just that flat spot around the back the second time," Strutt said.
"If she can improve a couple of lengths around there, she should go a lot better.
"She ran up the back of the leader as well [late], so if she went around the outside she would have finished closer.
"I think she's still on the up. Her mother [Parrydise Star] was slow to mature as well, I'm told, so the way she's been going the last couple of months, I think she's still got a bit of upside too.
"I like the draw. It all depends where everyone lands early but she had her confidence back last week, so I don't think the inside is going to worry her too much."
While Stagger Out Lee and Cawbourne Magic lead betting markets, Strutt was wary also of Lord's other finalist and heat winner Silver Luck (box eight) as well as the Michael Hardman-trained Zipping Neutron (seven) and Jason Magri's Our Amelia (five).
You Know Tree, for Swan Bay trainer Lisa Lamb, was a length behind Silver Luck last week and is the only Hunter hope in the final. She was one of the outsiders and has box four.
The 12-race card starts at 7.17pm.
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