Canberra trainer Keith Dryden lands double with Ainzali and Shahdaroba

Ainzali and Shahdaroba both saluted to break their maiden status, giving part-owner Paul Miller his first wins as well.

Shahdaroba won the Maiden Plate (1300 metres) by almost two lengths from Peter Wiggins' Magic Rose, while Ainzali snuck home in the Maiden Plate (1000 metres).

"The pleasing thing about it was a very good friend of mine is in both horses," Dryden said.

"I played football with him when we played rugby for Ainslie. He decided he wanted to get involved in a couple of horses so I put him into them. He's had his first two winners today, which was good."

Dryden said Shahdaroba still had a lot to learn, but he's hoping to take Ainzali to Sydney for her next run if he can find a suitable race for the three-year-old filly.

He said both horses would only have one or two more runs this preparation and was expecting them both to come back from a spell markedly improved.

"I'm probably even going to take Ainzali to town next start for three-year-old fillies, if I can find a suitable race," he said.

"Shahdaroba wouldn't be up to that yet.

"It just depends how she comes on. Some horses get a bit of confidence and come on and if she does that now she'd be a next-preparation horse [for town]."

Dryden will take Pillow Talk to Rosehill on Saturday where she'll run in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (1400 metres).

He inherited the daughter of Foreplay from the Guy Walter stable earlier this year following the sudden death of the Sydney trainer.

But he was expecting a tough task on Saturday in a field that includes two Nick Olive runners - Without A Shadow and Doubtful Miss.

He thought John O'Shea's Transfers and Gerald Ryan's Peace Force were two obvious threats.

"What a trainer [Walter was]. If I can get this horse going as well as Guy had it going I've done my job," Dryden said.

"So far, she's been really consistent. She's had three runs and finished in the first three for me. I'm pretty pleased with that."