Olive Lines up Latest Debuntant

Nick Olive gets excited when he takes a horse to the races - those three zeroes in the runs-wins-places columns could lead to the next Black Caviar-esque winning streak.

The Canberra trainer will send out Moomoomashoo for the first time inthe Maiden Plate (1080 metres) at Thoroughbred park today - Canberra's first meet of the new season, two days after every horses's birthday.

She's one of three debutants in the race, along with Peter Wiggins' James James and Anything You touch, trained by Julia Ceely.

Despite setting up his own stable seven years ago and boasting more that 20 years in racing, Olive still gets a kick out of taking a horse to the races for the first time - although not quite as big a thrill as saddling one up for a black-type race.

"There's always potential when a horse goes to the races for the first time, they've always got the potential to win or go on and be a nice horse," he said.  "Especially when a horse is working well going into a race, it is exciting, you're at the start of their career and hopefully a successful career."

Moomoomashoo competed in her first barrier trial two weeks ago, finishing second by 1 and a quarter lengths to Alert's Image - the topweight in today's maiden - with James James a short head away in third.

Olive was impressed with how his Ad Valorem three-year old trialled and thought it pointed to her running a good race today.

For a trainer watching his horse on debut, a good race encompasses much more than just where it finishes.

It's about how it handles the occasion and settles into its work.

"I'd like to see her, if she can't win, just run a nice race - be finishing the race off or just be a bit green and still race well so you know you've got something to work with - they're the signs you're looking for.' Olive said.

Moomoomashoo was sired by Ad Valorem - a Group 1 winner at Ascot in Great Britain - and is out of the unraced Sweet Submission.