Outstanding Bettors Delight filly Dodolicious fared poorly in drawing the outside barrier (No. 9) in the $18,000 WA Oaks prelude over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but she has the class to overcome this disadvantage.
She warmed up for this week’s assignment with a sound effort in winning a 2150m trial at Byford on Sunday morning. Handled by her race driver Ryan Warwick she dashed over the final quarters in 28.5sec. and 28sec. and beat The Spinster by a nose at a 1.58.2 rate.
The $150,000 WA Oaks will be decided over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday week is sure to be a clear-cut favourite after her first 17 starts have produced ten wins and six seconds. She started from the back line and was always well back before finishing eighth behind Chicago Bull in the WA Derby last Friday week.
That was her first outing since she gave a splendid performance to finish second behind the brilliant Our Dream About Me in the New South Wales Oaks at Menangle on February 28. She has raced superbly throughout her brief career for Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
The Spinster, to be driven by Kim Prentice for Millenden trainer Sonia Zucchiatti, will start from the No. 5 barrier on the front line. She shows good promise, with her seven starts producing three wins and three thirds.
Dame Puissant, a filly by Tintin In America, will start from barrier two on the back line for trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams. She has already qualified for a start in the Oaks final by winning a prelude in fine style last Friday week. She trailed the pacemaker Sheer Rocknroll before finishing strongly to win from the fast-finishing Madame Croupier, who impressed in coming from seventh at the bell.
Madame Croupier was disappointing when she was favourite at 6/4 on and finished fourth behind Nina Jane over 2100m at Bunbury last Saturday night. She was restrained from a wide barrier and raced wide in the final circuit. But she cannot be discounted from the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night.
Trainer Gary Hall sen. said that Madame Croupier would be far better suited by leading in this week’s race. “However, I consider my other runner Dior Mia More has stronger claims,” he said. “She’s a pretty good horse and is quite exciting. I’ve freshened her up a bit since she finished third to Dame Puissant last Friday week and she’s definitely improved since then.”
Adding plenty of interest to Friday night’s prelude will be the presence of New Zealand-bred Bettors Delight fillies My Platinum Belle and Maia Maguire, who are prepared at Boyanup by Justin Prentice.
My Platinum Belle finished strongly to win at her Australian debut when she beat Scoobys Delight over 1730m at a 1.56.3 rate over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. She was a winner in New Zealand two starts earlier. She will start from barrier three on the front line.
Maia Maguire, who will start out wide at barrier seven, is a last-start winner over 1950m at Addington on February 12.
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri is hoping for strong performances from his three runners, Sheer Rocknroll (outside of the back line), Machine Elle (barrier six) and Charged To The Max (inside of the back line).
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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