By Matt Markham
Nigel McGrath was more than happy to ever so slightly to slip under the radar with Dizzy Miss Lizzy in Friday night’s PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Final at Addington.
Charged with the knowledge that he had his two-year-old filly right where he wanted her to be for the major assignment, the Weedons trainer knew it was just a case of the cards falling his way and he’d be in with a shot.
And that’s exactly what unfolded, largely thanks to another big race piece of magic from Blair Orange, who guided the exciting filly to all the right places during the race and unleashed her into the clear at just the right time.
“I thought she could be good enough,” McGrath said.
“But you need things to go your way and they did for us so I wasn’t surprised with the result.”
Having just her third race start, Dizzy Miss Lizzy angled off wheels down the Addington straight and unleashed with a powerful burst to run past the likely looking pair of New York Town and Bettor Joy who at the top of the straight had put to bed the chances of hot favourite Elle Mac.
The result throws the potential outcome of the 2YO Diamond at the Harness Jewels in a fortnight wide open with many predicting the previously unbeaten Elle Mac as almost unbeatable prior to Friday night.
After winning sensationally on debut down in Southland, McGrath threw Dizzy Miss Lizzy into the deep end next up and she cost herself through over-racing.
“We changed her bit to try and get her to relax a bit more and it seemed to have worked the way we hoped it would.
“Her run at the trials last week was really good I thought, better than good in fact and I knew she was pretty right for this one.”
Raced by Peter and Karen Boag, Dizzy Miss Lizzy is by Changeover from Back In The USSR, a handy mare for Stephen Hammer and Don Bates.
Her sister, Hard Day’s Night has done a good job this season for Leonne Jones and is in the top 12 for the 4YO Diamond on Jewels Day – a great result for the low-key mare.
The win also continued an incredible season in the sulky for Orange who is currently turning water into wine on a frequent occasion, particularly in the big races.
McGrath felt the ups and downs of racing pretty quickly on Friday night though with his talented two-year-old male, Aloka copping a nasty check when looking to warm up in the next race.
After a nice run in the trail throughout he was wiped out when The Devil’s Own went wayward at the top of the straight, coming down on Alta Maestro who in turn made heavy contact with Aloka.
“He didn’t need that, he galloped at the same point last week and while that was his own fault then, I just hope it hasn’t knocked his confidence too much.”
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