Racing: De Lovely smashes national fillies record

Like mother, like daughter - only better.

That was the story of the $125,000 New Zealand Oaks at Addington last night when warm favourite De Lovely overcame a second line draw for her first group one victory.

In doing so she emulated her dam, Copper Beach, who won the Oaks in 2004 in near-record time.

But De Lovely went much quicker, smashing the national fillies record in putting paid to Lancome.

The win confirms her spot as favourite for her division of the Harness Jewels at Cambridge in two weeks.

It was also the fourth Oaks winner in the past eight years for trainer Geoff Small and driver David Butcher, whose performance last night was one of the great drives of the harness racing season.

Later in the night all-conquering trainer Mark Purdon provided another group one quinella when Major Mark nosed out Le Sol in the $200,000 Sires' Stakes Final.

The winner, who had burnt punters so badly when fourth in a similar field six days earlier, was dynamic last night, storming up four wide to sit parked at the 600m mark.

But it took him the entire home straight to get past his stablemate after he lunged up the passing lane.

As good as Major Mark was, the run of the race was again The Muskeg Express, who galloped away again at the start but flew home for third.