Trainer Grahame Begg expresses confidence that She’s A Hustler has overcome any lingering effects from her previous encounters with Pride Of Jenni as she prepares for the Flemington meeting.

She’s A Hustler is set to compete in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on Saturday, with Begg pleased that Pride Of Jenni will not be participating in the race.

The autumn-winter campaign in Sydney and Brisbane saw Pride Of Jenni and She’s A Hustler face off on three occasions, and Begg suspects these contests took a toll on his mare, who is also entered for the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate, and the Melbourne Cup.

“She was thwarted by wet tracks, and I think she might have had a bit of Pride Of Jenni hangover,” Begg said.

“Her first three runs back last preparation, she was in three hard run races.”

“It might have gutted her a bit. Instead of getting in a race where you could flow and go through your gears, each race was a high tempo.”

This intense pressure will be absent on Saturday, as the field has been reduced to 10 runners following the withdrawals of Birdman, Buckaroo, and Aeliana.

Begg indicated that Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes serves as an ideal starting point for She’s A Hustler’s campaign towards the Caulfield Cup.

Following Saturday’s race, the plan is to contest the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3, followed by the Caulfield Cup two weeks later.

“It’s such a tight turnaround after winter,” Begg commented.

“The right race for her is probably the Underwood over 1800 metres, but it’s only two weeks, two weeks (to the Caulfield Cup).”

“Going that way, you don’t get to have a three-week buffer.”

“It’s a very tight schedule, unless you started early in something like the Heatherlie, but she looks to be tracking nicely.”

“She’s got good residual fitness from Brisbane and having that has allowed us to kick off here as she raced right up until the middle of June and then she was able to have a bit of a break up there.”

She’s A Hustler has completed two trials at Caulfield Heath in preparation for her Saturday return, securing a win in her most recent hit-out over 1400m.

“She took enormous improvement from her first trial to her second,” Begg stated.

“And her coat is really starting to move now.”

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