Racing: Oaks well within reach for Twinkling

Each time this week that Linda Laing thought about the strength of today's field for the $300,000 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham she looked at the form guide.

Two figures underneath the stable representative Twinkling say it all: "Derby" and "2400m".

Twinkling did what none of her 17 rivals today managed - she had her final lead-up in the $600,000 Mercedes Derby, which means she has already proven she can cope with this afternoon's distance of 2400m.

Only balloted runner Needled, who has tackled 2200m, has run beyond 2100m.

Twinkling finished only sixth in the Derby, but the winner Wahid apart, hers was the run of the race.

Mark Hills, who replaced a sick Michael Coleman, could not get the filly in closer than three wide from the winning post with a round to travel and that's where Twinkling stayed for the entire race.

She was entitled to give it away early in the home straight, but instead she kicked hard and was still making ground on the leaders at the finish.

Wahid won the Derby too well for any talk about an unlucky runner behind him, but Twinkling definitely would have been second or third with a half-decent run.

The extra ground she covered was equivalent to the 4 1/4 lengths she finished behind the winner.

Forget any thoughts that the Derby effort was so tough it had to be her last major effort for the summer or autumn - co-trainer Laing said the stable could not believe the way the Cambridge filly had come through the race.

"She was on the end of the lead on the Sunday morning and when we weighed her on Monday morning she was 1kg heavier than when she went into the Derby."

Continuing on that same plane, Twinkling goes into today's classic 10kg heavier than Derby morning.

Although it's far from necessary, rain would have assisted, essentially because it would have put many of the leading chances - but not the favourite Shikoba - out of business.

Twinkling has shown she can gallop nearly as fast on rain-affected footing as she can in good conditions.

The track was good on Derby Day and Twinkling managed the footing beautifully without jarring up.

It was no fluke that Twinkling saw out the Derby as well as any of her male counterparts - her dam Limitless won the 3200m Brisbane Cup and she was by Sir Tristram, the greatest sire when it comes to injecting bloody-mindedness into horses at the end of a tough test of stamina.

Unquestionably Shikoba is the horse they all have to beat. In a campaign riddled with class she has toppled almost all of the leading chances here and done it in style.

The Filly Of The Year did her record no harm in finishing third to Kristov in last week's $150,000 Starcraft Stakes, her first attempt at weight-for-age racing.

Nothing could come off the pace the way Kristov yet again dealt with his opposition with burning sectionals in front and Shikoba did well to take ground off him in the run up the home straight.

Make no mistake, this is a strong Oaks field.

Trainer John Sargent has a strong chance with Everswindell, Sharvasti and Ciara engaged. The first two were upset by the wet track at Trentham last start and both have been looking for the extra distance here,

Cambridge trainer Roger James has Gaze, Ritzy Lady, Asmahan, Myriad and Nova safely in the field.