Females Set To Fly In Solo WA Oaks
Whilst it may not have quantity, the 2013 Solo W.A Oaks series certainly has quality with four heats filled with the talent of some of the industry's best young bitches. The group two, $40,000 to the winner event features some of the most consistent females from the Western state with a hint of interstate flare to really spice things up.
Group Two Solo W.A Oaks Heat One
Boom youngster Te Amo will face her acid test in this event, stepping up to the top level after just two starts. The daughter of Cosmic Rumble featured in a story on ARG this week and is certainly an up and coming talent. In the astute hands of Linda Britton, Te Amo will be ready, willing and fit for the challenge. After bombing the start last week, she showed star quality when chasing down the leader to score in 31.13 seconds. Don't let the time fool you because this was a phenomenal performance. Te Amo has shown she can be a lid pinger in both her qualifying trial and maiden win clocking sensational sectionals and terrific overall times of 30.50 seconds and 30.48 seconds respectively. If she can jump cleanly from the awkward box six she looks the standout.
Darren McDonald's Another Lee will be the testing material from box one. The daughter of Knocka Norris and Sensation Lee is bred to run being a half-sister to some serious sprinters including Lochinvar Marlow, Lochinvar Vogue, Godsend and Uno Kendra and comes to WA with good Victorian form as a winner of six races from 25 starts with a further eight minors. Another Lee has recorded some nippy times around the tracks in her home state including Sandown (29.74 seconds), Traralgon (29.85 seconds) and The Meadows (30.32 seconds) however she did not handle Cannington as well as hoped last week. After a run at the track, she should improve dramatically and looms as a genuine threat.
John Crossley has his ‘coin' dogs on fire and will be hoping Gypsy Lee Coin can continue the trend from box three in the first heat. The black bitch took ten starts to break her maiden but has strung together two wins since then, with her last start a third behind Pellew. Gypsy Lee Coin has a personal best of 30.74 seconds over the track and distance so has the ability to be competitive and feature in the finish.
Linda Britton has two more starters in the event, West On Spiffy and Heidi Go Seek jumping from boxes four and five respectively who each have talent and should be respected.
Group Two Solo W.A Oaks Heat Two
In form Victorian Evie's Entity will be hard to beat in the second heat from box three. The ultra-consistent young bitch has won eleven from 22 and just two starts back ran a terrific fourth in the group one Sapphire Crown behind the superstar Xylia Allen. Evie's Entity has clocked a scorching 29.48 seconds at Sandown and despite not having a race start at Cannington, she is a classy animal who should be able to adjust. Her biggest undoing is that she can be tardy early however she should be fresh with her last race start on the 22nd May.
Local hope Reverberate will make it a tough challenge even though boxed out wide in seven. The black bitch by Premier Fantasy has a perfect three from three at Cannington with a fast 30.64 seconds victory to her name. In all three starts at the track she has had wide draws, so is accustomed to winning from a bad box and with a clean start she is a big chance. Reverberate is also a litter sister to three time group winner Jagger Swagger so certainly has the right bloodlines to be a fast chaser and has proven to be just that in her recent starts when running down Paul Stuart's handy Miracle Malcolm two weeks in a row.
Dark Passenger should get room to fire in the early stages from box two with a moderate beginner on her outside. The Steve Withers trained youngster has won two from ten with both those wins over the 530 metres at Cannington. The black bitch is returning from a seven week spell so assuming she is fit she should be nice and fresh and is capable of running a cheeky race.
Jason Thompson also has a runner in the event, Miss Mozoltov, who must be respected on her trainer alone. The blue daughter of Where's Pedro will jump from box eight and will be looking to go one better than her track debut last week when running second behind the classy Lochinvar Sass. She may find it hard from box eight but is a capable type who can run well and is a definite each way chance.
Group Two Solo W.A Oaks Heat Three
Zelemar Fever is one of the main chances for Linda Britton in the series and lines up from box two in the third heat. The daughter of Bombastic Shiraz has won nine from 28 with eight minors and scored in 30.62 seconds last start from box seven. She moves in closer to the rails this week, which suits and she should run well.
It would not be a group series without the ominous presence of Graeme Bate who has Quiz Bale jumping from box one. The 27 kilogram bitch relishes an inside draw, scoring a fast semi-final win in the Peter Mosman series at Wentworth Park from box one, clocking 29.87 seconds. The Dyna Lachlan two year old has never had a start at the track but is accustomed to travelling and generally adjusts well to each assignment. From an ideal draw she has the pace to hold the lead and is capable of pinching the event.
Meroslava also has a good draw in the third heat and will jump wearing white. The red fawn bitch is a daughter of Wentworth Park track specialist Did I Entertain and looks to have plenty of talent herself with six wins from 18 starts including five wins at Cannington. Meroslava ran a good second last start in a heat of the Mandurah Oaks and should be competitive in this event.
NSW chaser Hidden Danger looks to be a danger as her name suggests boxed ideally out wide in the pink. The Kristy Sultana trained greyhound is having her first race start at the track which is a concern however she is as tough as they come and can certainly gallop. The Knocka Norris pup has had ten starts for four wins and six minors and was a placegetter in the Richmond Oaks last start.
The other main threat in the race is drawn on her inside with Lochinvar Sass jumping from the seven. The white and blue fawn bitch is another with only limited experience, facing the starter on just eight occasions from which she has notched up four wins and three minors. She has recorded a blistering 30.45 seconds over the distance and will only need to repeat that to go close in the event.
Group Two Solo W.A Oaks Heat Four
The fourth and final heat is also strong with recent Mandurah Oaks winner Sharon Monelli starting from box five. A daughter of boom sire Magic Sprite, Sharon Monelli has won thirteen from 43 with 22 minors and should be going close in the astute hands of David Hobby. Sharon Monelli has a best time at Cannington of a flying 30.39 seconds and she will probably be starting favourite for the event.
The surprise packet in heat four may prove to be the three with Gambo Girl a highly talented young bitch from Victoria. The daughter of Mogambo is a litter sister to Evie's Entity and oozes potential with four wins from eleven starts. Like her sister she can be a bit tardy in the early stages but she has a massive motor and can run a slick time if she gets room to move. Gambo Girl won four starts back at Wentworth Park in a quick 30.09 seconds so if she can transfer that form to Cannington she is a huge threat.
Paul Stuarts Agent Dunham was unplaced in the Mandurah Oaks final but has the talent to bounce back albeit drawn awkwardly in box seven. The black bitch has won six races over the track and distance clocking a best of 30.41 seconds.
Linda Britton has a dynamic duo in the event with Way Too Many in the cherry and Evanescent lining up from the checks. Way Too Many comes into the series with good form at Mandurah including victories at three of her last four starts. Evanescent is a smart sprinter with six wins to her name after 16 starts and has clocked 30.80 seconds on the track. With a clear jump, both Britton runners are capable of snaring the prize.
The first heat of the group two Solo W.A Oaks will jump at 8:27pm (WST) with the first two from each heat progressing to next week's final.