Thunder Lady Firms For The VRC Oaks
- Saturday, 01 November 2014 07:23
A sense of deja vu surrounded the traditional Oaks lead-up when John Sargent produced Thunder Lady to win the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington.
A year ago, the Sargent-trained Kirramosa won the Wakeful (2000m) on the Saturday and went on to claim the Group One Classic five days later.
Her third in a Newcastle maiden last start did not endear her to punters who sent her out at $31.
But under vigorous riding from Blake Shinn, the filly gathered in the $2.90 favourite Abduction to win by three-quarters of a length with Fenway ($7.50) the same margin third.
"She has always been a work in progress," Sargent said.
"She has shown all along that if she ever settled, she would run a distance.
"I thought she would be right in it. She is a happy horse and that's the key with fillies.
"Let's hope she goes as well as Kirramosa did last year."
Thunder Lady firmed from $21 to $5 second favourite behind Crafty ($4.60) for Thursday's Oaks (2500m) while Fontein Ruby eased from $7 to $17 after her sixth.
The win gave Blake Shinn a double from the first two races on the opening day of the Flemington carnival after he steered the Chris Waller-trained Kermadec to win the Carbine Club Stakes.
Unfortunately for Shinn he will miss the rest of Cup week due to suspension and Tommy Berry will ride Thunder Lady.
In another twist, Berry was aboard Kirramosa in the 2013 Wakeful but was replaced by Nash Rawiller for the Group One.
Berry was without a Wakeful ride and was an interested spectator.
"I did that last year," he said.
"I won the Wakeful on Kirramosa and then Nash took over. So it's good to get it my way this time.
"I was very impressed with that and I can't wait for the Oaks.
Thunder Lady is owned by Hong Kong businessman Oliver Wong who is in Santa Anita to watch his sprinter Rich Tapestry try to make history at the Breeders' Cup meeting.
Rich Tapestry, who runs in the Sprint on dirt on Sunday AEDT, is aiming to become the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win a Breeders' Cup race.
