She drew even better for the Reisling Stakes and could race in Sydney - for more money and at a higher level instead.

The Canberra trainer has one of the capital's best chances of winning the $250,000 Black Opal Stakes in a decade.

It's set to jump at Thoroughbred Park on Sunday, but the two-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon is also entered for the group 2 Reisling Stakes at Randwick the day before.

She drew barrier nine for the Opal and four for Sydney, with Dale having up until Saturday morning to decide which way he'll head.

Before Thursday's draw, there were seven Black Opal runners dual nominated for either Sydney or Melbourne - but that reduced to six with Wagga Wagga's hope Rocket Tiger scratching from the Todman Stakes after drawing barrier one in Canberra.

The Hawkes-trained Remarque drew barrier two - the same as in the $300,000 Todman - and was everyone's horse-to-beat if he comes to Canberra.

Dale went into the draw hoping for somewhere near barrier seven - which is where he might end up after scratchings.

"Happy enough with that. She makes her own luck, she rolls forward and gets on-speed and that's a good attribute to have," he said.

"Ultimately it's quite a good barrier for her. She's a quality filly that will be hard to beat.

"It's going to be interesting how this field takes shape - and we won't know until Saturday morning the exact make-up of Sunday's race."

In contrast, Nick Olive drew out in the carpark for his Canberra Cup runner, Maid Of Ore.

She drew barrier 14 - with only two runners further out.

It certainly didn't enhance her chances in Olive's eyes, after she finished third in the $250,000 listed race last year.

Olive does have some hope of coming in closer by time the race jumps on Monday.

"From that start it makes it very difficult. You've only got a 200 metre run to the first turn - and it's a big turn this turn and you can get really thrown out [wide]," he said.

"We'll sit down over the next couple of days, see what scratchings there are and what's left in it and what the speed's like, and try and work out a plan."

Fellow Canberra trainer Norm Gardner was happy with his draws - for Miss Ostend (six) in the Black Opal and Upper House (one) in the Canberra Cup.

Keith Dryden's Poker Dice drew 13 in the Opal and Balansa drew nine in the Cup, while Todd Smart's Whiskey Jack (15) rounded out the local runners in the Cup.

"Very happy with both of them - especially Miss Ostend. I like that draw - four, five, six - gives the rider a few options," Gardner said.

"If you draw too far in I find in two-year-old races, if you're a bit slow out they crush you and next thing you're third- or second-last on the fence with all the horses around you.

"I'm very happy with that. [She's] a very gutsy filly, I think she's going to be very competitive in that race.

"Her run the other day when she ran fourth [in the Opal preview] she was four or five wide the whole way.

"She was last coming round the turn four wide and came home in 32 [seconds for the final 600m] and was taking ground off them.

"While Matty's horse will be very hard to beat I'm not going to concede."