Miss Streisand's all set for a Sunday serenade

Her last five runs reads like a hard-luck story. Fourth, third, fifth, fourth, third. If anyone deserves a break, the lady does.

Well, MISS STREISAND is a fighter and it shouldn't be too long - maybe even as soon as this Sunday - that she has her picture taken in the winner's enclosure.

For one thing, she looks to be in great condition when turned out on the training track yesterday morning.

Ridden by * Syafiq, Miss Streisand cantered one round before upping the tempo to run the 600m in 37.1sec.

It was a workout which spelt out the words "good to go".

Back to her hard-luck tale, it was a month ago that she finished third behind Parker in a 1,400m sprint on the turf.

She was sent off as the $19 top pick.

A month before, when given every chance by jockey Vlad Duric, she had finished fourth in another 1,400m race. On the day, she carried 58kg.

She gets into Sunday's event with 55kg - 1.5kg less than what she carried when scoring her only win at Kranji.

Perhaps it's worth noting also that it was a year ago - and almost to the date - that she greeted the judge.

That day, on July 22, she charged home from dead last early to win going away over the 1,400m on the Short Course.

While she will be tested on Sunday by the likes of Cavatina, Greatballs Of Fire and maybe even Super Big, it all seems aligned for a second victory for Laurie Laxon's gutsy mare.

Also on Sunday, keep an eye on another one of Laxon's gals - AOTEAROA 

The filly showed up on the training track with Manoel Nunes in the saddle, cantering over a distance before running the final 600m in 39.6sec.

Aotearoa must surely be one of the stars in Laxon's yard. After all, she has from six starts already won twice and has yet to finish outside the top four.

She picked up eight points in the ratings after that impressive win last time out when she gave her rivals a galloping lesson - winning by three lengths over the 1,400m.

Among those she beat that day last month was Lim's Casino who, as we all know, came back to win in fine style on Derby Day.

She gets into Sunday's contest with a postage stamp weight of 53.5kg but with a star like Chopin's Fantaisie to contend with, she will have her work cut out for her. Still, be sure she's tossed into the mix when you're planning your assault on those novelty bets.

On the strength of her workout, Aotearoa will surely run a big race.

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GALLOPS BY HORSES RUNNING TOMORROW

RACE 2: Ace Harbour (N Juglall) 45.2.

RACE 3: Run It Twice/pace work.

RACE 8: Southern Dragon * (B Vorster) 39.1.

GALLOPS BY HORSES RUNNING ON SUNDAY

RACE 1: Rikioh (Placais) 43.9. Million Round (Saifudin) canter/45.5.

RACE 2: On Electric Avenue * (Kellady) 37.7. The Golden Goat (Placais) 41.8. Brimstone 35.4.

RACE 3: Cavatina 36.9. Muscular Captain (Placais) 41.3. Apollo 38.8. Giorgio pace work/40.4. Miss Streisand * (H Syafiq) canter/37.1. Heavenly Hand (David) 38.6.

RACE 4: One Rar (Powell) 37.8. Happy Saga * (Placias) 41.2. Holy Grail (David) canter/39.3. O'Reilly Bay * (A'isiuhairi) canter/36.3. Murdoch (Moon) canter/39.3.

RACE 5: Danzeb (Chavez) 36.2. High Street 36.9. Qingdao * 36.9. Laughing Buffalo 38.8. Saint Lincoln * (Powell) 37.8. Prince Darci * (David) 35.7. Hero In The Wind (David) 34.6. Gasparo Da Salo (Moon) 36.8.

RACE 6: Phanfone (Zaki) 36.8.

RACE 7: Mr Connery (Powell) canter/37.9. Kashan * (Zawari) 35.7. Military Alliance 35.2. Perkins (Chan) 35.8. Grand Paris (Saifudin) canter/39.9. Urban Legend (David) canter/36.9.

RACE 8: Paltrow * (Vorster) canter/37.6. Longhu * (Powell) 37.7. Oxbow Sun * canter/38.6. Chase * (Placias) 40.2. Effortless * (Kellady) 37.8. Mangatoetoenui canter/38.8. Aotearoa * (Nunes) canter/39.6.

RACE 9: Ottawa * 45.

RACE 10: My Horse * (Placais) 41.8. Rainbow Royal (Chavez) pace work. Royal Guard * (Kellady) 38.8. Auspicious Ace * (Zawari) 36.39. Southern Chief (Koh) 40.8.