Nichols hopes for a repeat of Group 3

The Shane Nichols-trained Always Enuff could now be Stakes-bound after scoring a smart-looking pair of debutants in the opener on Bendigo Cup Day on Wednesday.

The daughter of Capitalist ran three times without placing in the winter but was tested at Stakes level and finished just three and a half lengths behind First Settler on the Flemington straight in July.

And it seems she’s improved her craft greatly since then, as she’s settled into the box seat under Zac Spain and is quickly rocketing away from straightening out as a $10 prospect.

Well-backed debutant Hot Digity Boom ($16 in $7.50) chased impressively from an impossible position, while Jasmin Rouge started her work late after being held up, but Always Enuff seemed to have plenty up her sleeve throughout.

WATCH: Always Enuff’s victory

It was a sharp first performance that Nichols was hopeful of as the filly tested well in the run-in and found herself on a dry track for the first time in her career.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of her, but she’s plagued with soft songs, which she doesn’t like,” Nichols said.

“We only went to Flemington because we were looking for a girl, because at that time the tracks were all Heavy… she didn’t have much luck and she should have finished closer.

“I gave her a break, brought her back. She has matured, done good tests and was quite good today. I think they were low (57 seconds) and convincing enough.

“Good on Zac, he realized that Mrs. Archibald was going to kick ass and give him a nice trail as long as there was an exit… when she got off the fence she put them to bed pretty quickly.

“(She is) a promising filly that we think about a lot.”

The Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield could now be on the agenda, a race Nichols won last year with $51 chance Brazen Style also advancing there via a maiden victory.

‘Maybe we’ll give her a shot at the stumps in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes on the 16th. We won it last year with a promising first winner, so we would like history to repeat itself,” he said.

“She’ll get her chance – Saturday Metro – if not better hopefully.”