An emerging New England-based mare can announce a likely date with metropolitan opposition when she lines up at Monday’s Scone meeting.

By The Way took only two starts to break her maiden for leading Armidale trainer Stirling Osland after being transferred down from the Richard Laming stable.

She now tackles a Class 1 Hcp over 1200m which promises to be one of the more open betting races on a meeting likely to be run on a Soft 6.

Only 11 days ago, By The Way cut loose from off speed to trounce her maiden rivals at Moree by nearly three lengths.

Her time that day was only a bit over a second outside the 1200m course record that has stood for 26 years, beating home Scone filly Flaunter who hasn’t missed a place in five starts so far.

And By The Way is bred to be even more effective on soft ground, being by Group 2 winning Encryption who relished the going, and out of a mare whose only career win from 10 starts was ironically at Scone.

She only began her career in January, running home from the back on the Gold Coast synthetic as a well backed favourite.

Such was the confidence among connections, she took on metropolitan opposition at her next start, finishing midfield at Eagle Farm despite being well fancied in betting again.

But it wasn’t long before By The Way was headed south into the New England of NSW and a new home with the Osland yard.

She did her best work late after a tough run in a handy maiden over the Grafton carnival before that breakthrough effort at Moree.

Now they head south to Scone, hoping another win will put her right on the Saturday Highway map in Sydney.

By The Way opened on the third line of betting at more than $6.00, well behind the Nathan Doyle-trained stablemates early favourite Vittozi ($3.10) and Iron Fury ($5.00).

Supplied by Racing NSW