Randwick a stepping stone for Lazzarini mare

The mare will face a city test on Saturday, racing in a 2400-metres BenchMark 78 at Randwick.

Fiorzana is currently a $126 chance, with Harpo Marx the short-priced $1.95 favourite.

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Lazzarini concedes his runner is only early in her preparation, but he's confident it won't be long before she's mixing it with the best.

"Her last run at Kembla she acquitted herself quite well," Lazzarini said. "I've got a race in town picked out in two weeks time so this is a nice stepping stone.

"She'll win in town once she gets up over ground, she's wants further than 2400m. She's a deadset stayer and it's hard to find races for her."

Lazzarini rates Fiorzana as a genuine stayer, Saturday's 2400m well below her best distance.

That, he feels, is 3200m and he has one race in particular in mind. The Melbourne Cup.

The trainer submitted an early nomination for the five-year-old and while he concedes much has to go right between now and November, he's not ruling out a trip to Victoria.

"She's bred to run four miles," Lazzarini said. "She's out of a Zabeel mare and by Fiorente, I've always said she will run ground.

"I've ridden top stayers before with Bart (Cummings), he'd say about 10 in every 10,000 horses can run two miles. I've had horses that can run 2800 but can't go a step further.

"I deadset think she will run two miles so I told the owners it was worth a shot."