By Mike Dillon
Lance O'Sullivan used a bit of insider trading to land Savannah Success home to her biggest career win in Saturday's $250,000 New Zealand Oaks.
O'Sullivan looked to be in a tight spot locked away on the rails behind the leaders on the home turn and was in danger of being shuffled back through the field.
But he knew what he was doing.
He knew the leader Soap Opera would hang away from the running rail on the corner and present him with a rails gap jockeys to go home at night and dream about.
He rides Soap Opera in track-work for brother Paul and is awake to her habits.
"She lugs away from the rail all the time and I knew - well, let's say I was praying - she'd do it this time," O'Sullivan said.
O'Sullivan was offered the ride on one of his brother's trio in the Oaks and it was only after a conference that he stuck with Savannah Success.
"Paul said: `How could you turn a class ride like Savannah Succcess down?' otherwise I'd have been on Pravda [second]."
The startling feature of Savannah Success's victory was the dash she showed to put her opposition on the canvas within 50m.
She produced a battling finish in the 2000m Royal Stakes but if there were any doubts she would handle the 2400m after that run she destroyed them on Saturday.
Credit must go to co-trainer Keith Hawtin, who has done a great job of keeping the filly at peak through a long campaign.
Co-owner, Queensland breeder Jon Haseler, made a lightning trip to see the race and there cannot be many better results for a breeder than winning an Oaks.
"I've always believed the New Zealand Oaks is one of the major fillies races anywhere and I'm absolutely delighted. We tried to win it with Crystal Palace, who went on to win the Queensland Oaks and this is even more of a thrill because we bred this filly."
Graeme Rogerson bought Savannah Success at Karaka, Haseler stayed in for one third, which increased to two thirds recently when one partner dropped out.
Even if your pockets are empty you have to feel for Nahayan's co-trainer Trevor McKee.
After Nahayan's horror Derby result, McKee was under such pressure with the raging Oaks favourite that he tried something he would not normally do - putting blinkers on for the first time this campaign.
But with so much at stake for punters as well as his co-owners, doing nothing was more criminal than doing something which proved ineffective.
Blinkers can help with wayward tendencies, but almost always make horses race more fiercely and that certainly helped bring Nahayan undone.
"She was far too fierce," said rider Peter Johnson., "and that's not her. Normally she'll go to sleep in a race. As a result she had nothing left in the last 400m"
Co-trainer Stephen McKee was not happy with Johnson's ride, believing he should have pressed on with the pre-race plan to lead, even after Nahayan made a tardy start.
Nahayan will almost certainly press on towards a Sydney autumn campaign without a further run and Stephen McKee said an Australian jockey would be engaged.
Horse Racing: Inside break gives Lance edge in Oaks
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