Miata Draws Off The Track In 2011 SA Oaks Final
Last night at Angle Park we saw four enthralling heats of the Coffex Coffee Oaks where the first two placegetters from each heat qualified for next week's Group 3 final.
The fastest qualifier for the final was the Jeff Britton trained Victorian Mepunga Nicky who led throughout from box 8 to record a slick 29.77 for the 515m defeating the Troy Iwanyk trained It's A Blur by 1 ¼ lengths.
She was .01 of a second quicker than boom WA sprinting star Miata trained by Paul Stuart who came from well back in her heat to record a brilliant victory by over 4 lengths in 29.78 from the Graeme Bate trained Carol Bale.
Miata is undefeated in her 7 lifetime starts and is the current track record holder over the 530m at Cannington however her biggest test will come next Thursday night after drawing box 8 for the final last night.
Jessenia Bale for Shaun Matcott took out the first heat of the night impressively leading throughout from box 7 to defeat Irma Bale by 2 ¾ lengths for Graeme Bate in a flying 29.80 and looks to be South Australia's best chance of taking out the feature final.
The final heat was an evenly contested affair where Jeff Britton produced his second heat winner of the evening in Dream Chick who raced up near the lead before powering home to score by 2 ½ lengths in a solid 30.23 defeating Bralyn Ella for Troy Murray.
The $36,000 Group Three Final will be run next Thursday night 15th September. It will be race 8 on the program and is listed to jump at 9.11pm (SA time).
The Final field in Box Draw order is:
2011 SA Oaks Final Box Draw
1. Bralyn Ella Troy Murray (SA)
2. Irma Bale Graeme Bate (VIC)
3. Mepunda Nicky Jeff Britton (VIC)
4. It's A Blur Troy Iwanyk (VIC)
5. Dream Chick Jeff Britton (VIC)
6. Carol Allen Graeme Bate (VIC)
7. Jessenia Bale Shaun Matcott (SA)
8. Miata Paul Stuart (WA)
9. Aleta Allen (1st Res) Graeme Bate (VIC)
10.Lucy's Rose (2nd Res) Jeff Britton (VIC)