This G3 for fillies over 2100m is one of the key races towards the G1 NZ Oaks as the contenders and pretenders are either found or unmasked. The race today was sedate and the overall time of 2:13.61 is embarrassing plus the track was looking haggard (chipping early and more sand than sod) after just one meeting last Saturday and so the rail was out 2m. Thee Auld Floozie enjoyed the track not being concrete and got a great run throughout before outstaying the pair of Murray Baker/Andrew Forsman trained runners Saavoya and Charmont to win narrowly but well. This filly prior had narrowly beaten a strong closer and staying filly in Savaria so brought in the right formlines plus her trainer Stephen Marsh has formed an imposing partnership with rider Danielle Johnson. The winner came into Oaks reckoning for sure while the stablemates Saavoya and Charmont are both still on track and at 2400m with a better clip will be hard to beat. Consensus was game again and got promoted from fifth to fourth after being run off very wide turning for home with others due to the leader Gin Swing being wayward for her rider. Palace Rock was okay but hard to make a case for anything else. It must be noted here of the ten races at Ellerslie today that seven winners either led or raced close (second, third or fourth) to the home turn so track bias was predominant. The G1 NZ Oaks has lost its oomph in recent years from being the top source of handicap or WFA players the next season as 4yo mares to a race that gets mostly second tier or afterthought fillies now sadly. The movement of the G1 NZ Derby to an autumn date and the massive stakemoney on offer at Sydney at this time of the year now too has cost another Trentham Group race serious depth.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
ROCK DIVA
(NZ)
3F LUCKY UNICORN (AUS) - BOHEMIAN BLUES (NZ) BLUES TRAVELLER (IRE) |
L G INNES | 56.5 | TONY PIKE & MARK DONOGHUE | 10 |
|
|
MORE THAN SACRED
(AUS)
3F MORE THAN READY (USA) - DANALAGA (AUS) DANEHILL (USA) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 56.5 | TONY PIKE & MARK DONOGHUE | 9 |
|
|
MISS ARTISTIC
(NZ)
3F DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - ARTLESS (AUS) DAHAR (USA) |
M T COLEMAN | 56.5 | SHAUNE RITCHIE | 2 |
|
|
ANNIE HIGGINS
(NZ)
3F O'REILLY (NZ) - DIVA BELLE (NZ) CARNEGIE (IRE) |
O P BOSSON | 56.0 | L NOBLE | 13 |
|
|
A CHANCE TO DREAM
(AUS)
3F VOLKSRAAD (GB) - MAKE ME DREAM (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 56.0 | J G SARGENT | 5 |
|
|
MILL DUCKIE
(NZ)
3F MAGIC RING (IRE) - VINTAGE CLASS (NZ) MASTERCLASS (USA) |
MS N L COLLETT | 56.0 | RICHARD COLLETT | 4 |
