MICK Stanley doesn't hesitate in talking up his boom two-year-old filly Soho Tokyo.
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Four placings in group races including two seconds in group 1 features and over $100,000 in prizemoney from her first 10 starts proves the filly is among the best in the land.
And while she is yet to do it, the Ballarat horseman believes Soho Tokyo is more than capable of breaking through at the elite level.
"She is by far the best horse at this stage of her career that I have ever had, for sure," Stanley said.
"Whether it be the Breeders Crown or next year, I really hope she doesn't go through her career not winning a group 1."
The Breeders Crown is the next mission, which kicks off for Soho Tokyo on Saturday night at her home track.
The daughter of Bettors Delight will race in the last of three heats at Bray Raceway, where she is likely to be a short-priced favourite to progress straight through to the semi-finals, held back in Ballarat on Saturday, August 16.
Stanley is keen to move into the semis without the need to race through the repechages so to keep Soho Tokyo as fresh as possible for a hopeful tilt at the $297,000 group 1 two-year-old fillies final the following week at Melton.
"(Saturday) is not an easy race by any means, but it's a drop in class and hopefully we can get back in the winner's stall," he said.
"For a horse like her, it's a big advantage if we can get through and miss that repechage run, so that's one less run you have to have.
"Ideally, with the racing she has had, we don't want that extra run."
A trip to Perth through May and June yielded a narrow second in the group 1 Diamond Classic, but has been a big effort for such a young horse.
Soho Tokyo returned from a brief let-up with a runner-up placing in the group 2 Tatlow Stakes at Melton last weekend, which should have her cherry ripe for a big performance on Saturday night.
The first of three two-year-old fillies Breeders Crown heats, over 2200m, gets underway at 7.03pm, the second at 8.32pm and the last at 10pm.
The night's other feature is the C7 or better Westinghouse Pace, 1710m, which features a cracking seven-horse field, including Emma Stewart-trained Restrepo and Margaret Lee-trained Keayang Cullen.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au