Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien is planning on keeping smart Reliable Man filly Miami Bound to her home track for the balance of the spring. A daughter of Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Arapaho Miss, Miami Bound will be out to emulate her mother and will take the next step towards the Oaks when she contests Saturday's Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).

Purchased for $120,000 from Westbury Stud's Karaka 2018 Book 1 yearling draft, Miami Bound has won twice at Bendigo this campaign over 1400m and 1600m respectively. “I am very pleased with her,” O'Brien said. “She has had a couple of trips to the races already and has looked very impressive both times. “She has had a lovely build up to Saturday and gets to her home track at a mile and it is a really nice stepping stone for her through to the Wakeful (Group 2, 2000m) and the Oaks (Group 1, 2500m). “I have got a lot of confidence in Miami Bound. It is a big field on Saturday, but if she gets a good steer from Damien (Oliver, jockey), I think she can win.”

O'Brien said he knew a lot about the family prior to inspecting Miami Bound at the Karaka Yearling sales last year. “She's a filly I bought in New Zealand because I trained her half-brother, De Little Engine, and he was a terrific stayer for us over many seasons,” O'Brien added. “We've always had high hopes for her and the Oaks has been the race that we would have loved to see her get to from the moment we bought her and so far, so good.”