Duais has been the talk of the town in recent weeks - and that is only set to intensify after the three-time Group 1 winner was confirmed for the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
After a brilliant victory in the G1 Tancred Stakes, the four-year-old mare is now set to take on the likes of Verry Elleegant, Zaaki and Anamoe in the feature race on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
But how has Edward Cummings got this supremely-talented horse back from running 16th in the Caulfield Cup last October, to now being in the mix for one of the most prestigious races in Sydney?
Let's take a look back at the career of Duais as she heads towards the biggest race of her career.
Duais' career under trainer Edward Cummings certainly had some humble beginnings. After being installed as a $1 chance on debut in a Newcastle maiden back in June 2020, she finished in 2nd place behind Sam Spade.
After an average run on a heavy track at Randwick Kenso, Duais broke her maiden on her third start as a short-priced favourite at Newcastle in December 2020. Following the breakthrough victory, she wouldn't win again until March, before earning a Group 3 victory in the Adrian Knox Stakes.
But it was a solid performance in the G1 Australian Oaks around this time last year, where she came from last at the home turn to finish 2nd behind Hungry Heart, that began to catch the eyes of racing fans and experts.
Watch Duais' run in the G1 Australian Oaks 2021 below.
A horse on the rise, Cummings would his prized mare to Brisbane for the Queensland Oaks in June, where she broke through for her first Group 1 triumph in the $600,000 race.
Booked as a $2.80 favourite, Duais proved far too strong for her opposition, dashing away from the rest of the field in the final furling to win by 2.5 lengths at Eagle Farm.
Watch Duais win her first Group 1 below.
Already boasting a G1 victory and placing early in her career, Cummings would set a target for the G1 Caulfield Cup in October and perhaps even a dart for the race that stops the nation in early-November.
After a solid run in the G3 Cameron Stakes and a disappointing finish in the G2 Hill Stakes, Duais earned another group-level win in the G3 Coongy Cup - just three days before the Caulfield Cup.
Duais would produce a stunning finish in the earn a narrow victory over $1.60 favourite Floating Artist and Wentwood to win by a head - but Cummings wasn't satisfied.
Instead, he backed the mare up in the Caulfield Cup, where she finished 14.5 lengths behind the winner Incentivise, and was subsequently pulled out of the Melbourne Cup and given a spell.
Duais' return for autumn wasn't exactly glamorous, finishing 9th in the G2 Apollo Stakes and 6th in the G1 Chipping Norton - but its last two runs have shown a vast improvement.
The mare would finish a two-length winner in the $1.5 million Australian Cup at Flemington, before returning to Sydney for a huge win in G1 Tancred Stakes - which was moved to a Monday at Newcastle due to poor track conditions and weather at Rosehill.
Duais would storm home to win the race by 3.4 lengths from Stockman on soft ground, giving connections and fans plenty to look forward to for the remainder of 2022.
Watch Duais storm home in the G1 Tancred Stakes below.
"A star mare on the rise!"
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 28, 2022
That was some win from Duais in The Tancred Stakes! 👏👏
A 10/10 steer from @JoshuaParr8 for Edward Cummings. pic.twitter.com/zLu3wymJkf
Many figured that Cummings would elect to run Duais in the 3200m Sydney Cup, with an eye towards the Melbourne Cup later this year - but she will instead contest a stacked field in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Duais has drawn the widest gate in a star-studded nine-horse field at Randwick, and is right in the mix with the likes of Verry Elleegant, Zaaki and Anamoe to take out the race as far as the market is concerned.
If she could manage to top Verry Elleegant - arguably the best horse in the world - she would instantly become a superstar of the sport, and likely be installed as a favourite for the big races in spring.
