By Adam Hamilton
SHEZ All Rock looks a bit special and she’s chasing something very rare on Friday.
So many great fillies have tried and failed to win the NSW and Victoria Oaks. Amazingly, the last to do so was Bob and Vin Knight’s former Tasmanian filly Jane Ellen way back in 1989.
Champion filly Frith ran second to Itz Nosurprisesthere in the 2013 NSW Oaks then won the Victoria Oaks.
Off the back of a sparkling NSW Oaks win and dominant Victoria Oaks heat win at Melton last Saturday night, the Aussie TAB has Shez All Rock $2.80 favourite in the pre-draw market for Friday night’s $150,000 Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks final (2240m).
It’s her last target before joining the All Stars’ team to chase the NZ Oaks and Harness Jewels.
Young trainer-driver Mark Pitt has done a superb job with the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven, who has raced just seven times for six wins and a second.
The switch to Purdon and Rasmussen was agreed to former Kiwi and now US-based Chris Ryder paid a reported $220,000 to buy Shez All Rock just days after her NSW Oaks win.
“The plan is for her to come back to me after the Jewels for a crack at the Vicbred series and the Breeders Crown,” Pitt said. “Chris (Ryder) said there’s a chance he might leave her with me for her four-year-old season as well.
“I’ll be over there in NZ cheering for her in the Oaks and Jewels, don’t worry about that.”
For now, Pitt’s sights are firmly set on Friday night’s Oaks and with a serious dash of confidence.
“She’s still only had a handful of runs really and she’s green. Every race is a learning curve and it was the same the other night when I really buzzed her at the start for the first time. Like everything else, she handled it well,” he said.
“Molly Kelly really worked me for that first 500m or so and tested me, but then I got a bit of a breather before Nostra Villa came around and I knew I’d have a race on my hands.
“When I was able to drop Nostra Villa on the bend, I knew I was home, but I also knew Nostra Villa wouldn’t give it away.”
Shez All Rock ripped home in splits of 27.5 and 27.7sec to beat Nostra Villa by 4.1m in a 1min56.9sec mile over 2240m.
Emma Stewart’s Speak No Evil led throughout to win the second heat and weakest of three heats in a 1min57.5sec mile rate.
The third heat went to Grant Dixon’s Queensland raider Aqua Miss. She roared home late to rundown a gallant Soho Burning Love, who did all the work outside the leader in a 1min58.2sec mile rate.
Andrew Stuart’s Kiwi filly Sociable was a real eye-catcher in that third heat. She was badly bailed-up behind a tiring leader Nostra Beach and flashed home late for third, just 4.6m from the winner.
The Aussie TAB pre-draw market for the final has Shez All Rock at $2.80, Nostra Villa ($3.20), Speak No Evil ($5.50), Soho Burning Love ($6.50) and Aqua Miss ($9) and Sociable ($17).
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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