A tilt at next month’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) hangs in the balance for talented filly War Princess.

The daughter of U S Navy Flag has yet to be tested over a mile in her seven starts to date, but has shown plenty of ability over sprint distances, winning four races between 1000m and 1200m, and was runner-up to Circus Dancer in last month’s Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui.

Peter Didham, who trains War Princess in partnership with his son Trent, was pleased with the way she found the line last start after over-racing early.

“She was a bit unlucky with circumstances,” he said. “We probably could have stayed a bit handier, we are trying to get her to settle, and the horse came up on the inside of her, and we didn’t get a clear run on the corner until late, but then she stormed home really well. I thought it was a great effort and probably one that got away on us really.”

With just over a month until the Karaka Millions twilight meeting at Ellerslie, Didham is facing mounting pressure to try and get his $77,500 Karaka yearling purchase to the highly-anticipated event.

The distance remains the Awapuni horseman’s only query, and that will be answered on Saturday when she contests the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.

“The owners are very keen to go to the Karaka Millions, but she will need to run a nice race over 1600m,” he said. “I am confident that she can get a mile, it’s just whether it’s this prep or next.

“She is a lovely filly, she is nice and strong and doing everything right. There’s no reason why not, it’s just the fact that she has always jumped and run and it’s a matter of her teaching herself to relax a little bit.”

War Princess has drawn barrier four on Saturday, and with her running pattern, will likely be up on the speed once again in the eight-horse field.

“We were expecting a bigger field than that and we were thinking of riding her a bit quieter, but that will be up to Sam (Collett, jockey),” Didham said. “She jumps very quick, so we might just find ourselves in the first two or three.”

Didham will also be chasing black-type with juvenile filly Vahvay in the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m).

The daughter of Tagaloa finished runner-up on debut over 1000m last month, and while pleased with the progress of his filly, Didham holds reserved expectations against a hot line-up.

“It is probably the strongest Wakefield in the last 10 years,” he said. “She is going to be a lovely three-year-old filly and this is all part of her education.

“She will still run a nice race, there just might be a couple too sharp for her over 1100m, but when we meet them next your over 1400m or 1600m, we will be competitive.”

Didham’s Trentham team will be rounded out by Lucullan in the McDonalds Manawatu Sprint (1200m).

The four-year-old gelding disappointed in his first two runs this preparation when unplaced at Trentham but returned to winning form last start at Wanganui.

Didham is wary of returning to Trentham this weekend but is hopeful his charge can allay those concerns.

“He has got a tonne of ability, but I am worried about Wellington,” he said. “We have tried him twice there and we thought he would win both times and he just went terrible.

“In that 75 grade, we have only got Wellington 1200s, there is nowhere else to go.

“I put him in Te Rapa last week, he drew 19 so I had to scratch. It is either turn him out or we give him one more go down the straight.

“Hopefully he can relax. Those first two times he jumped, over-raced and didn’t finish the race off as good as he should. But I am really happy with the way he is going.”