Champion trainer Chris Waller has learnt not to dwell on the past when it comes to his horses but that has been difficult with Always Allison.
The talented filly arrived at his stables after Golden Slipper nominations had closed and there was always the feeling that could be an opportunity missed.
But it is one she could make up for in the Sires Produce Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
"She wasn't in the Slipper, so it wasn't really in our thinking. However, once they start to do what she did, you think about it," Waller said. "But it wasn't mean to be.
"There aren't that many group 1s for two-year-old so when you have a filly like her you want to try at that level."
Always Allison won her debut at Warwick Farm before scoring in the Sweet Embrace Stakes, which opened the door on the possibility of paying a late entry for the Golden Slipper. It came down to the Magic Night Stakes.
But luck deserted the More Than Ready filly as she was held-up and checked in the straight, going to the line really untested.
"She had no luck last start and was very good before that," Waller said. "It was the Percy Sykes or the Sires and I would rather go a week earlier and it is a group 1.
"She is ready to race, but you are always thinking have we gone one run too many with her but I don't think we have left it on the track with her." Joao Moreira has been booked for the ride on Always Allison but will need to be at his best to overcome barrier 11.
"It is another one of those things you can't do anything about," Waller said. "You talk a lot about barriers before a race but rarely after it and I think she should get her chance over the 1400m."
Waller has a strong influence on the Doncaster with Sacred Falls, Royal Descent and Moriarty assured runs and the Australian Derby favourite in Preferment, which returned to his best in the Rosehill Guineas when photo finished by Volkstok'n'barrell.
"He showed in the Rosehill Guineas he just needed to get to a trip," Waller said.
"I think he will be a dominate group 1 horse at 2400m and he has improved since that run.
"He showed at Flemington how strong he is over the extra trip, even when he was three-wide and I think he will be hard to beat again."
