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By Graeme White

It appears to be only a matter of time before Ace Of Lace breaks through for an overdue victory and it could come as early at Albury on Monday.

Ace Of Lace ($7 NSW TAB) will line-up in a highly competitive and even Stewart Gould Real Estate Benchmark 58 over 1175 metres.

Wagga trainer Maddy Collins has a strong understanding of the mare which ed her stable some 12 months ago and was able to win at her first start for her at Wagga.

She has won again since and from six starts this campaign has added a second and three fourths.

The mare put the writing on the wall for another win when a gallant second after leading at Corowa over 1200 metres.

Ace Of Lace is raced by Collins as well as Fremantle Dockers footballers Luke Ryan and Brendan Cox, Jess Sutton from Temora and Nick West who also has an interest in the Collins prepared Future Fund.

The mother of two only trains a select team of six and has a soft spot for Ace Of Lace who is a dream to work with.

“She will make the perfect horse when she retires. She is great to do anything with and I ride her a lot and my partner Josh (Richards) rides in her in the races,” she said.

“She loves heavy tracks and now that she is jumping better she can be right on the speed or lead which suits her,” she said.

“It has been a few weeks between starts, but that suits her. She has definitely got more wins in her.

“She has drawn three, but there is speed drawn inside of her (Ti Tree Royal and Bobotov) so we will have to see where she settles but it will be right up there somewhere.”

Ti Tree Royal broke his maiden in style at Corowa on June 2 and is the $4.80 favourite with Jason Lyon to ride for trainer Ron Stubbs.

The eye-catching galloper by Royal Meeting was having only his fourth start and his first run for several months last time out

“I was confident he would run well at Corowa and it’s a much harder race on Monday but he shows enough ability to win more races,” Stubbs said.

Imabarbiegirl ($5) will also improve in regards to race fitness after an encouraging first-up third.

Trainer Luke Pepper has prepared 13 winners and nine placings from his past 50 starters with one of the best overall strike-rates across NSW and the ACT.

Imabarbiegirl ran third behind Arctic Desert and Elastane Miss in a highly competitive Benchmark 58 over 1000 metres at Wagga on June 5.

Notleanormean finished second first-up at Albury on April 17 and her only victory was at her second career start at Albury in December of 2023.

The Albury track is rated a heavy nine for the seven-race program with the rail out three and a half metres.

The Conway Printing Maiden over 1000 metres could see one of three consistent gallopers break through.

Crying Cougar ran a creditable second on debut behind stablemate Majestic Maremma for trainer Olivia Osborne.

Donegal Bay has been placed at his past three starts – the latest at his first run for current trainer Danny Beasley where Majestic Maremma finished third.

The winner Magnolia Star is the $5 favourite on Monday for the GPE Electrical & Communication Benchmark 58 (900m).

Lunar Mojo is also a serious contender having been placed at his past four starts.

Meanwhile, Blazing Sword appeals as one of the best bets and is currently rated as $2.25 favourite for the Wodonga Spring Works Maiden (1500m).

Blazing Sword ran third first-up at Albury before finishing second at the Swan Hill Cup carnival.

The three-year-old is prepared by Tim Fitzsimmons at Bendigo who is excelling in his training operations after moving back to Australia.

Fitzsimmons has prepared eight winners from his past 50 starters since February.

The main danger to Blazing Sword could be the Stubbs prepared Majestic Deel who was an eye-catching first-up third behind Baracca’s Choice at Corowa.

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Albury meeting