Dato test for Miss Rose at the Valley

The decision to miss the Memsie Stakes with Miss Rose De Lago could reward her connections with another Group 2 win.

The Danny O'Brien-trained mare won the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on August 13 and chases another in Saturday's Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

She won the Sunline Stakes over the course and distance during the autumn and O'Brien was convinced she would be better suited defending the race than running in the Memsie over 1400m against a quality field.

Black Heart Bart was a convincing winner of the Memsie, the first Group 1 race of the season on Saturday.

"She's a mare we believe is very much a mile, maybe even 2000 metre mare," O'Brien said.

"She's not particularly sharp, but the way the race set up for her the other day with so much tempo on, it made it a really solid 1400.

"Over a mile she's much more suited."

O'Brien said Miss Rose De Lago could head to Moonee Valley on Tuesday for a gallop in preparation for Saturday's weight-for-age race.

"She's come through her first-up win very well," he said.

"It was a pretty solid race first-up and she had to be pretty forward to win which she was.

"She had a quiet week the first week after the race and has had a couple of gallops in the past week which were both excellent.

"Last time she went to the Valley in the Sunline Stakes over a mile she was super. She won that in very dominant fashion so we're hoping if she brings a similar game to next Saturday that she can win again."

Damien Oliver rode Miss Rose De Lago to win the PB Lawrence and will be aboard again.

O'Brien said Miss Rose De Lago was likely to get her Group 1 opportunity next month if she was successful on Saturday.

"If she won the Dato she would more than likely run in the Underwood Stakes because she's so good at Caulfield and 1800 metres is almost a perfect distance for her," he said.

Story by Mathew Toogood for AAP, to view story on Bloodstock.com click here

Pic by Racing Photos