BATHURST'S leading thoroughbred, Press Box, is making her anticipated return to the track this Saturday as the former Kosciuszko competitor goes around in the Fillies and Mares Benchmark 78 Handicap (1,100 metres) at Rosehill.
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Press Box captured the imagination of all Bathurst gallops fans when she qualified for the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko, and wasn't far away from a placing when running home for sixth in the lucrative event last October.
She made her way back to the track for a trial at Mudgee earlier this month, and looked a treat in a calm run for third on the soft track.
"I can't wait to see her back," Mirfin said.
"She's on a preparation being aimed at the Country Championships and with the form that she showed last preparation she's lining herself up pretty well for it.
"It's a great race to kick her off in. She's come back looking super as well.
"Eleanor [Webster-Hawes] was the jockey for that trial and she came back and said the horse did it so easily. If she gave her a kick she could have won the trial if we asked her to.
"It wasn't a fast time but she just went around there to get a look at the track, because that's where the Country Championships heat is going to be on."
Press Box is joined by two of her stablemates, Worldly Pleasure and Jetgirl, for a crack at the excellent prizemoney pool.
Worldly Pleasure was a first up winner this preparation at Randwick and wasn't disgraced in a fifth placing against good competition at the same venue earlier this month.
Jetgirl was last in that second race but with that run being a first up effort Mirfin is hopeful she'll improve.
"It's a $125,000 race and having horses that are up to the standard to be able to go in races like that is amazing," Mirfin said.
In a small nine horse field Mirfin will train one third of the field.
Mirfin had Wordly Pleasure and Jetgirl dual nominated but with few rivals to contend with in this Saturday's race in made the decision easier to enter all three horses in the same event.
The race is the third event of the meeting and jumps from 2.15pm.