Denace has already given Brett Thompson one boot in recent times but a second this weekend is certain to be far more enjoyable.
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The Gulgong trainer continues to recover from a broken leg suffered when Denace gave him a swift kick during work in early February.
Despite that, Thompson still has a real soft spot for the filly and fancies her chances in Sunday's $150,000 Wellington Boot (1100m).
Denace is one of two hopes Thompson has in Sunday's two-year-old feature, with last start winner Deviate another leading contender.
"I've loved her (Denace) since she was a foal and she's one of favourites even though she was the one that kicked me," Thompson, still in a cast and unable to do much work around the stables, said.
"People asked me how I can like a horse that kicked me but I do and it could end up a funny story. I could have been booted by the horse that wins the Boot."
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Denace has had the one start, a seventh-placed finish in a Starmaker two-year-old event at Muswellbrook on March 24.
Deviate won that race, storming from second last to pinch victory on the line, making it two wins and a placing from six career starts.
No other horse in Sunday's field has had that many starts, something Thompson sees as a real positive as he chases a first Wellington Boot victory.
"It's huge in a two-year-old race," Thompson said of Deviate's experience.
"It was a heavy track at Muswellbrook and she'd run on a heavy 9 at Randwick on Everest day and ran sixth and had won on a soft at Scone.
"It's just the experience ... the more races and more experience the better."
Deviate, a $200,000 purchase from the Gold Coast yearling sales, has contested many difficult and metropolitan races early in her career as Thompson was originally targeting the Magic Millions with the Single Doubt x Anadan filly.
"I think she'll be a better three-year-old. She's just got to keep on improving but we think she will," Thompson said.
Funny things can happen. It wouldn't surprise me if she won.
- Brett Thompson on Denace
"She needs to improve two or three lengths to win in Sydney but hopefully she can win the Boot and then we can go from there."
And as for stable favourite Denace?
"She goes better than she did at Muswellbrook. She'd never raced on a wet track but we've been really happy with her and we've aimed her at this race," Thompson said.
"We scratched her from Tamworth (on Friday) and we think if we went there she would have won. But you don't get the chance to race in something like the Boot very often.
"Funny things can happen. It wouldn't surprise me if she won. She's improved lengths and has worked really well."
Former Wellington Boot winning jockey Winona Costin will pilot Deviate from gate one while James Innes Jnr will be onboard Denace in barrier six.
The Joseph Pride-trained Superium was a $2.15 favourite for the Boot on Friday, while Brazenpine from the stables of Group 1 winners Peter and Paul Snowden was at $2.60 and Luke Hilton's Last Chance Dance was at $8.
The $150,000 Wellington Boot jumps at 4.40pm on Sunday.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
