LEN Jarvis has just two horses in work but he’s far from overawed by the prospect of locking horns with some of the biggest names in racing at Morphettville on Saturday.

Jarvis’s classy three-year-old Beautiful Flyer is among the leading contenders for the Group 3 $100,000 Nitschke Stakes, a race featuring horses trained by the likes of Darren Weir, David Hayes, Phillip Stokes, Leon Macdonald and Tony McEvoy.

But Jarvis, who also works as a barrier attendant on race days, has the utmost faith in his unfashionable filly, who was passed in for just $8000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and is the only winner of her sire Solo Flyer.

“She’s the best I’ve ever had her,” Jarvis said.

“Her last bit of work during the week was sensational. I really hope she can do me and the other owners proud on Saturday.”

Beautiful Flyer has already provided Jarvis with a career highlight, winning at $60,000 race at Morphettville on Adelaide Cup day. She followed that success with stout, back-to-back second-placings, the most recent a luckless effort behind Faatinah at Morphettville a fortnight ago.

There’s no doubting the filly, who has built an imposing record of three wins and three placings from just seven starts for earnings beyond $100,000, is the apple of her trainer’s eye.

“I spend a lot of time with her. Everything I do is aimed at getting this filly as good as she can be for the races,” the Murray Bridge horseman said.

“I usually only have a couple of horses in work and break a few in, as well. But I’ve tried to not have too many breakers this year so I can concentrate more on this filly.”

His efforts have certainly reaped rewards and Jarvis believes his charge should thrive over the 1400m of the Nitschke with experienced hoop Joe Bowditch in the saddle.

“I’ve trained her to make sure she’s ready for the trip. Every run she’s had has been for a reason ... to have her right for the Nitschke then the Adelaide Guineas (over 1600m on May 14),” he said.

“She hasn’t been that suited on the Parks track before but I’m hoping it might be a bit different over the 1400m this time.”

Beautiful Flyer is on the second line of Nitschke betting at $5.50 with UBET, with the Weir-trained Rageese the dominant $1.85 favourite on the back of a strong Sandown win at his first start for the champion Victorian trainer.

Jarvis hopes Beautiful Flyer’s barrier advantage — she’s drawn gate four while Rageese is in 13 — could prove decisive.

“I’m glad the favourite has drawn outside of us,” he said.

“I think barrier four is perfect. At least we know from there she shouldn’t be sitting three-wide.”

Leading Flemington trainer Mike Moroney thinks the 1400m of the Nitschke could also work in favour of his promising filly Serenade.

Serenade shares the second line of betting with Beautiful Flyer at $5.50 on the back of a strong win over 1200m at Ballarat just over two weeks ago.

She proved competitive during the spring in Melbourne last year and Moroney expects her to be nearing her best after two runs from a break.

“She’s coming off a nice win (a Ballarat) and hopefully she can improve from that,” Moroney said.

“She’s always looked like 1400m would suit.

“She’s only had one try at it but that was at the end of last preparation.

“She’s been chasing a black-type win.’’

Though he has been pleased with his charge’s progress, Moroney said Serenade was unlikely to stay in Adelaide for the upcoming Festival Of Racing.

“We’re pretty keen to get her to Queensland. We’ll just see what she does there on Saturday,’’ he said.

ben.scadden@news.com.au