Form around Gollan filly looks a Charm

Skirt The Law (pink and white) was narrowly beaten by Charm Stone in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Getty Images

Tony Gollan is buoyed that the form around his star filly Skirt The Law now looks even better, given that Group 1 Golden Rose contender Charm Stone produced a ripping win at The Valley last Saturday.

Gollan was then happy to see Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained Charm Stone sit wide and still conjure a thumping win last Saturday.

There will be no Charm Stone to contend with when Skirt The Law races in the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes at Flemington on Saturday where Skirt The Law will have improved given she never looked comfortable first-up in her initial taste of the Melbourne way of going.

"Charm Stone's win last Saturday looks good and it's good for me when you see the form franked like that," Gollan said.

"It doesn't change how fast my horse is going to be on Saturday.

"But the form looks to be panning out nicely if you take a line through Charm Stone."

While Charm Stone is headed for the riches of Sydney's Golden Rose where she is the $8 third pick in betting, Gollan has never wavered from his initial blueprint of sticking to Melbourne sprints for Skirt The Law.

Gollan said the filly who gave him his first Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic win will be better for now having had a hitout under race conditions in Melbourne.

Skirt The Law will race at Flemington on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

He feels Skirt The Law didn't love the unique Caulfield track when racing in Melbourne for the first time in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes on August 19 when Charm Stone narrowly had her measure.

"It looked to me that she was typical of horses that go to Caulfield the first time, she just looked very lost and that was from the moment she jumped out of the gates," Gollan said.

"She looked like a filly who was trying to lay out from the get-go.

"She then had to get herself together and then in the straight she just ran into a bit of traffic and only just got beaten by Charm Stone.

"In defeat, I couldn't have been happier to be honest."

In the back of his mind, Gollan may have the prestigious Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes as a long-range Melbourne spring target for Skirt The Law.

But he is taking it run by run.

"Whether she runs in the top-grade or the one just underneath, we don't need to worry about too much at this point in time," he said.

Gollan will also unleash hype galloper Antino, the winner of eight from nine Queensland starts, at Flemington on Saturday.

Antino, who missed getting a start in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap but scored a thumping win in another race on the same day, will be ridden by Queensland's champion jockey Jimmy Orman.

Skirt The Law will be partnered by her regular jockey Ryan Maloney, who is on a confidence high after winning the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes on Sunshine In Paris who has subsequently secured a slot in The Everest.