Little Alle Bound For Tasmania
- Sunday, 06 January 2008 00:00
Improving filly Little Alle is Tasmanian Oaks-bound following her tough effort to win over 1600 metres at Morphettville.
Ridden by Chad Lever and trained in Victoria by Terry and Karina O'Sullivan, Little Alle was caught three-wide in Saturday's race after drawing barrier eight in the nine-horse field.
But she raced to the front a long way out and easily held off her rivals to score by 1-1/2 lengths from Moment In Time with Planet Ice a half-neck away third.
"She'll run a mile-and-a-half (2400m) I reckon and she didn't have any favours," Terry O'Sullivan said.
"I'll take her to Tassie for the Oaks."
The Listed $150,000 Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) is run at Launceston on February 24.
Little Alle has raced six times for two wins and a second, her other victory coming on debut in a Manangatang maiden over 1175m last October.
Meanwhile stablemate Tails Of Triomphe will not go back to Tasmania after an unsuccessful campaign there last year.
The six-year-old showed he was back to his best form when he ran on strongly to finish runner-up to the highly promising four-year-old Gallopin in the Bagot Hcp (2500m) at Flemington on New Year's Day.
O'Sullivan said the gelding would instead be aimed at the Group Two Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 10.
"He did a great job to run second in the Bagot as his rider Luke Nolen said he didn't appreciate the firm track," he said.
"He's had navicular problems and likes the sting out of the ground."
"He's not going to Tassie this year as we have the Adelaide Cup in mind for him.
"He didn't fire in Tassie last year but when we got him home we found he had a broken rib."
Tails Of Triomphe, who won the 2005 Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) by 2-1/4 lengths from 2007 Caulfield Cup runner-up Douro Valley, won a $100,000 event, beating subsequent Launceston Cup winner Hofmeister at Sandown in late January last year.
However he missed the start when eighth to Blutigeroo in the Hobart Cup (2200m) and was again slowly away when a well beaten sixth in the Launceston Cup (2400m).
The gelding was spelled after also failing in the Adelaide Cup when 10th to Gallic.
The O'Sullivan-trained El Guapo battled on well after leading to run second to Mrs Penny over 1050m at Morphettville, but his only runner at Sandown, Plan Ahead, had no luck in the rough-house New Gleam Hcp (1400m) when 12th to Spirited Halo.
After the race, the colt was found to have a laceration to the near foreleg.
Jade The Lady, prepared by John Symons and Sheila Laxon ran last but was found to have been galloped on and also suffered a laceration to the near foreleg.
