Richard Hughes is taking on the "monster" True Love with America Queen in Sunday's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The trainer heads to the Curragh in realistic mood about the challenge his Nell Gwyn runner-up faces as he finally gets a shot at a Classic, but is nevertheless expecting a big run.
Speaking on Wednesday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Hughes said: "She’s a good filly and tries her heart out. We tried to go down the French Guineas route, I thought it was the easier mile, but the ground came down soft and I couldn’t run her - she hates it.
"Hopefully it will be good ground at the Curragh and I think she’s going to run big. She’s on our side which is always a help; we both want to win as much as each other and that’s such a big help with any racehorse.
“I truly believe she’s going to stay. I rode her last Sunday morning, I was on my own, and gave her a nice canter and my gut is telling me she will stay a mile."
As for Sunday's test, he added: “She’ll be behind the bridle for the first half of the race, she’s going to be asleep, and it depends on how the race pans out then but I think she’ll really pick up.
“We’re taking on some good fillies. I’m gutted True Love is running, she’s a monster, I’ve never seen a better-looking filly in my life. I just think she’s the nicest filly I’ve seen, but you never know in a horse race.”
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