by Cody Winnell
New South Wales reinsman Jim Douglass has nothing but respect for Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks favourite Petacular but he firmly believes his drive tonight – Shezallapples – is the star Victorian’s biggest danger for the series, which starts tonight at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Shezallapples ran fourth in the New South Wales Oaks after a luckless trip in her heat and produced the fastest final 800m in the February 25 Group 1, a 54.65secs last half and a 25.62secs fourth quarter.
Douglass said the David Thorn-trained filly’s enormous versatility was her major asset.
“She can do anything. A lot of people thought it was a fluke when she won the Breeders Challenge as a two-year-old from three-pegs, but then she came out and won a few in a row, and she sat outside Manly Mach and beat him in the Group 3 Ready2run race,” Douglass said.
“In the NSW Oaks she had no luck at all in the heat and in the finish we only just qualified. But she proved up to it in the final with a terrific run and a great last half to finish fourth.”
Douglass said Thorn made the decision to target the Victoria Oaks after the NSW Oaks, with Shezallapples’ main aim this season being the Breeders Challenge title defence.
Shezallapples finished second in the Young Oaks on March 11 before winning at Menangle in 1:53 on March 21.
“She needed the run a little bit at Young,” Douglass said, adding: “But she still was only beaten a head by another Oaks filly (Sheza Sharpie). She did beat Dont Think Twice in that race, and she’s franked the form by coming out and winning the (Group 2) Gold Bracelet at Bathurst.”
Douglass said Shezallapples does possess gate speed but would most likely be unable to cross Sanna Cruza tonight.
That doesn’t mean she won’t find the top, however.
“Obviously we can’t cross Sanna Cruza unless Josh wants to let us go. If he wants to let us go I’d love to be in front. But if she has to sit outside the leader, that’s OK too. If we have to get cover, she can race like that as well. She’s very versatile.”
Asked about the Oaks favourite Petacular, from the Michael Stanley stable, Douglass said: “she’s a superstar”.
“She’ll be very hard to beat but we’ve come down here to have a crack at beating her. You’re only a three-year-old once and this is the Oaks, so you’ve got to take your shot.
“I do think ours is the second-best filly in tonight, and that is no disrespect to others.”
Oaks heat one is Race 4 tonight at 8.10pm, while the second of the heats will be run at 10.10pm at Tabcorp Park Melton.
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