The Golden Slipper winner Miss Finland is the market favourite with TAB Sportsbet having the David Hayes Redoute's Choice filly as firm as $1.85 on their Tuesday afternoon market.

However, that has not stopped there being considerable confidence in the stables of Cheeky Choice, She Will Be Loved, Juste Momente and stable-mate My Only Hope (NZ) for the race.

Hugh Bowman, stable rider for Randwick's Hugh Bowman, beliefs that Cheeky Choice can step up to the plate once more after her Group I Flight Stakes (1600m) win at Randwick 11 days ago.

"She has kept stepping up and it was a big step to the Tea Rose and she came through with flying colours," said Bowman.

"Going into the Flight Stakes I thought she would run a nice race, and she ran even better. They will have to catch her.

"There is a question mark about being the first time at Caulfield, but she can bowl along at a good clip and she is by Redoute's Choice and at this level breeding goes a long way.

"I do not see any reason why she cannot do it again," he warned.

Waterhouse has never won the Thousand Guineas, but she has run second with Assertive Lass, Danglissa, Ha Ha, Chuckle, Shamekha, Wager and Beauty Watch. Also counting against a stable win is that only one Flight Stakes winner in the last 15 years has gone onto to claim the Thousand Guineas, which was the Bart Cummings trained Dashing Eagle in1996.

However Cheeky Choice is tried and proven at the distance at this level, something Miss Finland does not, yet, have on her record.

This has given Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton heart for his Strategic filly She Will Be Loved who has already claimed Miss Finland's scalp in the Group II Edward Manifold Stakes over 1610m at Flemington on October 7th.

"I think she (Miss Finland) lacks versatility at 1600m and I think she is vulnerable," said Ellerton.

"Obviously she will be hard to step over, but I just think she is vulnerable," he said.

Ellerton said that She Will Be Loved had come through the Edward Manifold well.

"I could not be happier with her. She is like an old gelding, nothing worries her," he said.

In the last 20 years there have been 19 Edward Manifold Stakes winners run in the Thousand Guineas, for nine winners with the last two Alinghi and Special Harmoney. Glen Boss rides She Will Be Loved from barrier 10.

Fellow Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien said he is pleased with both of his entrants, My Only Hope (NZ) with Steven King and Juste Momente with Stephen Arnold.

"I expect both fillies to run good races," said O'Brien.

"Tomorrow's race will have genuine speed (from Cheeky Choice). I think Miss Finland will get a lovely run and if she is a genuine miler she will be the horse to beat, but we will only know until after the race," he said.

My Only Hope was third in The Edward Manifold less than a length from the winner, with Juste Momente unplaced. They leave from barriers one and two respectively.

Cheeky Choice leaves from barrier four, which is much better than the barrier 17 draw she had in the Flight Stakes and which gave her win in that race additional merit.

Miss Finland and Craig Williams have barrier nine so they should be able to watch the speed go on from the inside and watch proceedings, but it remains to be seen if her front running effort in the Edward Manifold for second has unsettled her for Wednesday.

© Thoroughbred News Media Partner Published 17/10/06