First Seal has soared to equal favouritism for the Doncaster Mile, but trainer John Thompson said nothing was confirmed beyond the Coolmore Classic after the country's best filly decimated her Surround Stakes rivals at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Tab.com.au quickly tightened First Seal to $8 equal favourite with fellow three-year-old Hallowed Crown and champion Japanese raider World Ace for the Doncaster.
Blake Shinn, who didn't even consider the whip in a 2 3/4-length cakewalk against her own age and sex, said he believed she could beat the older horses when asked about her Coolmore chances, before adding "it's very hard to do, but she'll give them a real shake."
First Seal settled near last in the field before ambling to the lead down the centre of the track with the chasers relegated to a different race.
Before the race Thompson had indicated that First Seal - which touched $1.50 in betting - would settle in the first five or six. She was nowhere near the leading division, but it made no difference.
"She's got a devastating sprint and she's shown in the Flight Stakes she's a great filly," Shinn said. "I think she's going to have a really great career in front of her.
"I haven't ridden a filly like her and she'll get distance. I am very lucky, I have ridden some good horses. She is up there with the best of them, I think. The sky's the limit."
So too for John Thompson, whose association with the China Horse Club post-Nathan Tinkler couldn't have unearthed a potential champion at a better time.
"I think it tells people that I got to pick out of a bunch of horses which one I wanted and I picked her and it shows people out there when you get a good horse you can manage it," Thompson said.
"She will go to the Coolmore [Classic] next start. That was always planned. Depending on how she runs in that, that's when we decide whether she goes to the Vinery [Stud Stakes] or the Doncaster.
"The Coolmore will be the fork in the road to decide which way we go."
Tommy Berry's mount Supara ran a much-improved second after beating only one home in the Light Fingers Stakes and even convinced her jockey she had First Seal's measure at one stage.
"I thought I was the winner until she broke my heart," Berry said.
Jason Coyle's mount Slightly Sweet was 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
