SATURDAY night’s Group 2 New South Wales Trotters Oaks has attracted runners from New Zealand and Victoria leaving a small group of local fillies to repel the challenge. The best hope of the NSW trained fillies looks to be the Blake Fitzpatrick trained Parisian Chic after she finished second behind Group 1 winner Bacardi Hurricane in the NSW Trotters Foundation Final last start.
Parisian Chic finished second behind Saturday night’s favourite High Gait in last year’s Breeders Crown Final at Melton and Fitzpatrick believes he has more than one thing in his favour.
“The extra distance is a real plus for my filly this Saturday night, the further they go the better for her because she is so tough and she is on her home track which is always a bonus,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I think there is so much depth in this year’s Oaks, normally there is a standout or maybe two winning hopes but this year there are six or seven nice fillies in the race and any of them could win it with the right run.”
Last year Fitzpatrick trained and drove Fiery Mountain Girl in the NSW Trotters Oaks. The filly finished third behind My Arya and returned a week later to win the NSW Trotters Derby. Fitzpatrick isn’t planning on Parisian Chic running in the NSW Derby this year and will instead concentrate on the Victoria Oaks.
“At this stage Parisian Chic will miss the NSW Trotters Derby because I want to get her down to the Victoria Oaks and that race will be run at Melton on Friday June 3.”
Meanwhile Fitzpatrick is suggesting punters give talented mare Edge Hill another chance in the Group 3 La Coocaracha this Saturday night. The five year old mare last won a race in October last year but she will appreciate getting back over the mile.
“She has always had the ability to run a very quick mile and she is definitely going to enjoy dropping back and racing mares. Edge Hill has been racing against the boys of late and has found it harder but I think if everything goes right on Saturday night she can be right in the finish.
“There is good depth in the race and a couple of handy trotting mares are engaged but she has proved in the past she can mix it with the good ones.”
The third of Fitzpatrick’s trotters to race at Menangle on Saturday night will be Glenferrie Burn in the final event.
“Glenferrie Burn looks really well graded. She finished second in the Breeders Crown last season and has matured into a quality mare.
“I guess the biggest factor is that she is a little one dimensional but if everything is run to suit her then she will take some holding out.”
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