KEY POINTS:
Miss Millbrook confirmed the view of trainer Terry Kennedy that she was New Zealand Oaks material with her win in the Dunedin Guineas at her home track of Wingatui on Saturday.
Kennedy formed the opinion after Miss Millbrook came from the tail of the field for fourth in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in September. Miss Millbrook became shin sore after that race and she had to be eased in her work.
She resumed racing on Saturday with a big run along the inner from the tail of the field at the 400m to win the Guineas (1400m).
"This has put her right on target for the Oaks," Kennedy said.
He plans to race Miss Millbrook in the Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on February 28 as a lead-up to the Oaks at Trentham a fortnight later. She will be accompanied north by the 2-year-old Lesley Brook, winner of the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton and a race at Wingatui this season.
Both horses are owned by Fred King, of North Taieri. Mr King bought yearling fillies by No Excuse Needed (sire of Miss Millbrook), Stravinsky and O'Reilly at the select sale at Karaka last week.
Kennedy also trained Sudders to win a $20,000 maiden race on Saturday.
He races Sudders with his wife, Debbie, Willy and Wendy Watson, of Tussock Creek and Bill McEwan, of Mosgiel.
Miss Millbrook prevailed by a nose on Saturday from Metropolitan with a head to Inferno, a neck to Alegrio and a neck to Coup Align, the hot favourite who was swamped in the final 50m.
Inferno is also headed to the Oaks.
Michael Pitman, the trainer of Coup Align, said he would start the 3-year-old next in the $150,000 Darley Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie on February 28.
A rain-affected track was not in favour of Coup Align, winner of his other six starts this season.
Pitman won the $75,000 group three White Robe Lodge Handicap on Saturday with Eel Win. The $43,750 stake lifted his earnings to $236,325 from 13 wins and 19 placings in 39 starts for Invercargill owners, Sabin and Claire Kirkland.
Pitman said Eel Win would race next in the $200,000 Otaki Stakes, a weight-for-age 1600m event at Otaki on February 20.
Eel Win raced handy on Saturday, led inside the 200m and held off Hold It Harvey by a nose.
Never Plead Guilty ($55,000 Dunedin Cup) and Halobelle ($55,000 Eclipse Stakes) gave local stables a trio of feature race wins.
Never Plead Guilty is trained by Paul Richards, who won the 1990 Dunedin Cup as a jockey on Art Banquet.
He prepares the 5-year-old gelding for Bob and Diane Goodeve, of Waimate. Never Plead Guilty has won five races and some $80,000 since joining the Richards stable 13 months ago after being bought by the Goodeves.
Richards said he would now prepare Never Plead Guilty for the $100,000 Riverton Cup on April 11.
Halobelle is trained by Wayne Stevens, the Wingatui course manager, who races the 5-year-old mare with his brothers, Barry, Ross, father, Alan, Roger Brocklebank, Barry Haig, Geoff Kirkland, all of Dunedin, Andre Klein (chief executive of Gallop South) and Codey Larmer, of Invercargill.
The mare, who also had another listed race win in the Gore Guineas, has won eight races and $133,525.
She was ridden for the first time by Dan Subramaniam who settled her fifth in contrast to her usual role of front runner, before winning by half a length from Fleur De'Here, who was late working clear.
Auckland apprentice Jason Collett was suspended for five days until February 8 inclusive. He was found to have shifted out at the 300m when riding In Theory, causing a check to Peyow Peyow in the Dunedin Cup. Patrick Holmes was fined $200 after weighing in 1kg over on Transcend.
Of The Essence had blood on her nostrils after finishing fourth in the Dunedin Cup. She was scoped and deemed not to be a bleeder.
Apprentice Izuan Khairil had his big moment when he rode the winners Torrent, in the Otago Daily Times Maiden, and and Thymes Vital, the Tip Top Bread 2200.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
