SAMANTHA MISS is close to returning to the trial track, with trainer Kris Lees set to confirm an autumn campaign that will culminate with a crack at the AJC Australian Oaks.

The filly, a winner of the group 1 Champagne Stakes at two, came back as a spring three-year-old to claim the Princess Series in Sydney, the VRC Oaks at Flemington and finish third in the Cox Plate.

"She's been back in the stables for a couple of weeks now and she is looking great," Lees said yesterday. "She's bigger and stronger than ever and I will give her a trial in a few weeks, probably at the end of the month."

Lees has pencilled in the Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick on February 14 as the horse's resuming run.

"Then she'll go to the Surround Stakes before having a crack at the Coolmore Classic against the older mares," he said.

"After the Coolmore I'll assess where we go with her, but I'd say it will be the Arrowfield Stud Stakes on the way to the AJC Australian Oaks. Being an Oaks winner already, we know she won't have any problems with the trip."

Lees will head to the Gold Coast this weekend with Barabucci running in the Magic Millions Trophy for three-year-olds with Corey Brown to ride while stablemate Prince Vilhelm will contest a minor race.

Regular Samantha Miss jockey Hugh Bowman's appeal against a careless riding suspension will be heard by the Racing NSW appeal panel today.