KEY POINTS:
Connections of New Zealand filly Boundless were cursing their luck after she was narrowly beaten into second in the Australian Oaks at Randwick yesterday.
Heavily backed with bookmakers on course from $7.50 to $5.50, the Stephen McKee-trained filly was beaten a half-neck by Heavenly Glow in the A$500,000 ($608,000) group one feature.
Boundless had no luck from barrier 10 in the 13-horse field and was trapped four and five wide entering the first turn before jockey Damien Oliver sent her forward.
Just as she settled second, former Kiwi rider Shane Dye took off on leader All Black Miss, leaving Boundless to cart the field up to her nearing the home turn.
Boundless hit the front early in the run home and when Heavenly Glow loomed up for veteran rider Ross Thompson, she fought back but was no match inside the final 100m.
Said McKee: "Great run - she was four wide going out of the straight and he's [Oliver] had to take the bull by the horns from the 1600m to get a spot.
"He's no sooner got there, and tried to have a rest, before he's had to chase a tearaway leader."
There was three lengths to third-placed Galileo's Daughter, with the other New Zealand-trained filly Pentura finishing fifth, five lengths from the winner after looming up at the 300m.
The favourite Zarita, bred in New Zealand, was battling before the turn and finished eighth.
The result continued the run of near misses for Kiwi fillies in the Oaks since the Jim Campin-trained Domino won in 1990, with Justa Tad (2005), French Lady (2004), Champagne (1998) and Love Dance (1995) all running second.
It also continued Oliver's extraordinary run of bad luck this season - his ninth second placing in a group one race including three on New Zealand mare Princess Coup.
But McKee wasn't about to criticise Oliver's ride on Boundless, winner of the New Zealand Oaks in March.
"It was just the draw. It was one of those races where the nine inside him all wanted to go. He had no option.
"You know it takes its toll eventually. They've only got so much petrol in the tank."
Boundless earned A$95,000 for second for her owners Cherry Taylor, Paul Dallimore, Neil Miller and McKee's father and former training partner Trevor, who were chasing their first Sydney group one win since Sunline in 2002.
Stephen McKee said Boundless, an $80,000 yearling purchase by his father, would go into quarantine and return home for a spell before being set for the Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings in October.
A Melbourne spring campaign is also looking more likely after the tough filly proved she could measure up in Australia.
Veteran 'bush' rider Robert Thompson celebrated one of his biggest wins aboard Heavenly Glow.
Thompson is one of the most well-travelled jockeys in Australia and has ridden more than 3000 winners. He rode at Eagle Farm in Brisbane last Saturday, Tamworth on Sunday, Grafton on Monday and Port Macquarie on Tuesday where he booted home a treble.
"Running into a filly as good as this after all these years - you just never know what's around the corner," he said.
- NZPA, AAP
