Trainer Roger Varian reports that his star filly Nahrain could start off her campaign in the Betfred Middleton Stakes at York on May 17.
The daughter of Selkirk will be busier in the latter part of 2012 as that is when the bulk of the top races for older fillies are run.
However Varian feels his Prix de l'Opera winner will need a race in the first half of the season and the Middleton over a mile and a quarter fits the bill.
"The most important time of the season for Nahrain will come in the second half of the campaign because the programme for fillies at a mile and 10 furlongs at Group One level really opens up from July onwards," the Newmarket handler told At The Races.
"We've got to start off somewhere and she's in races like the Lockinge and we'll put her in the Prix d'Ispahan, Group races against colts, but I think it's more likely we will keep her in her own sex division and that she'll probably run in a fillies' race, perhaps the Middleton at York.
"The other races to consider are the fillies' race at Epsom (Princess Elizabeth Stakes) and the Windsor Forest at Ascot.
"All of them are possibilities. She will have to shoulder a penalty in all those races but I think the Middleton is the favourite because she is very well and she might need a run in the middle of May.
"Then we can let her down and bring her back for the big fillies' races later in the year.
"She's been back with me since the middle of February. She's moving well and looks a stronger model this year.
"She's ready now to step up in her work and if she pleases us there's a possibility she'll go to York."
