Jamaea’s co-trainer Luke Price wants his star to get into a scrap with boom filly Espiona, advising Tommy Berry to make it as difficult as he can rival jockey James McDonald in a mouth-watering Light Fingers Stakes on Saturday.

The unbeaten Espiona is expected to confirm her status as the new darling of the Australian turf at Royal Randwick when she starts an odds-on favourite in the group 2 race.

But it hasn’t dented the confidence of Price, with Jamaea already having a luckless start this campaign when held up for the entire straight in the Magic Millions Guineas on the Gold Coast, and then turning in a slashing trial.

“She’s obviously fit and well and we’re taking on a boom horse, so we’ll see how we sit,” Price said. “Actually, we’ve probably got to see how it sits against us. But Espiona looks like she’s going to be pretty good, so we’ll see what happens.

“We’re definitely fit and you don’t know what [Espiona’s] goals are. Is she heading towards a Doncaster or a race like that?”

Espiona was a solid $1.60 favourite with Sportsbet on Friday, while Jamaea ($8.50) has been a continual firmer in betting throughout the week. Espiona’s stablemate Fangirl ($9) was the only other horse in single figures.

Espiona, a devastating winner at Flemington on Oaks day, is likely to clash with Jamaea again in the group 1 Surround Stakes in a fortnight. But first Price would love nothing more than to see the pair draw away to fight out the finish of the Light Fingers.

“I’d love for it to turn into a match race, that’d be great for racing,” Price said. “I feel like my filly’s going really well.