She might be in limbo by name, but it’s full steam ahead in reality for a metropolitan filly when she has her first start in Newcastle at Thursday’s feature meeting.

In Limbo, a three-year-old daughter of prolific sire Hellbent in the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable at Rosehill, is shooting for a second win from nine starts when she tackles a Fillies & Mares Benchmark 64 Handicap over 1200m fourth-up.

And she looks both well-placed and suitably graded after her recent performances.

A dominant maiden winner at Wyong two starts ago, In Limbo was then only run down by in-form Spaceballs over the last couple of strides in a deeper BM 64 at Hawkesbury three weeks back.

And the form from that race is more than encouraging.

Spaceballs was only collared by a long neck next start in a deeper BM 68 at Newcastle, while third-placed Vivian’s Express was again in the money next start at Kembla.

Again drawn to settle forward, with Tom Sherry in the saddle, In Limbo will likely head back to a midweek metropolitan target if all goes to plan in Newcastle.

She opened around $5.00 in early betting behind favourite Manaajem ($2.80) for the Peter Snowden stable who is second-up off a solid closing effort in open BM 64 company at Canterbury, and lightly raced mare Miss Capitale ($4.80) third-up for the Matthew Smith stable.

In Limbo is one of two from the Ryan-Alexiou yard in the race, with each-way chance Firepop ($8.50) coming off a fourth-up Super Maiden win in the country.