Sparks A Flyin, just caught by Shania Patron in last Friday's New Zealand Oaks, will strip sharper over the shorter mobile 1950m of the $100,000 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington tonight.
That's the opinion of Christchurch trainer Cran Dalgety, who hopes the reverse scenario of the two races two years ago repeats itself.
"Ricky May drove Classy Filly to win the Oaks for us by a nose, and now he's beaten us by a nose with Shania Patron," Dalgety said.
Two years ago Classy Filly came out a week later and was beaten in the Fillies' Final by Solberge, trained by Dalgety's father Jim.
"Sparks A Flyin went very big last week, and she is still very sharp," Dalgety said.
"She will be even better this week, as she had got away on me a little with the three-week gap between the Southland Oaks and the New Zealand Oaks."
Mark Jones, who took Sparks A Flyin to the front with 1700m to run in last Friday's Oaks, will look for the front again from barrier two tonight.
"We expect Sparks A Flyin will pretty well lead out from the draw and roll on again," Dalgety said.
Sparks A Flyin, a one minute 56.1 seconds front-running mile winner of an Ashburton Nevele R Heat in February, has an impeccable career record of eight wins from 11 starts.
She won the New South Wales Oaks three starts back, before her narrow defeats in the Southland and New Zealand Oaks.
Sparks A Flyin's season is far from over after tonight's feature.
Dalgety plans a late season raid on the Queensland and Australian Oaks, and the Breeders Crown, with the determined daughter of Sands A Flyin, raced by Harness Racing New Zealand chairman Jim Wakefield and his wife Susan.
The Wakefields and Dalgety have a useful second-string runner in Glacier Bay, who has a trifecta chance.
"She went good for her in last week's Oaks.
"Peter Jones drove her super and she got a nice trip into it, but she wasn't quite up to beating them," he said.
Shania Patron again looks the main danger to Sparks A Flyin, with Maheer Queen, squeezed up and checked with 200m to run in the Oaks, another leading chance.
The stock of Sands A Flyin are favoured to win the TAB double. Sparks A Flyin contests the second leg, with brilliant juvenile Sly Flyin expected to win the first leg, the $150,000 Garrard's Sires' Stakes Final for two-year-olds.
Sly Flyin, who Christchurch trainer Bruce Negus said had "endless staying powers", will be chasing more than the winning stake tonight.
He will probably seal Two-Year-Old of the Year honours if he can inflict another defeat on All Hart and Jack Cade.
Sly Flyin should get a good run through early on the back of Jack Cade, who is again drawn to find the early lead, while All Hart, winner of the New Zealand Two-Year-Old Championship at Auckland in March, is game and won't give in without a fight.
- NZPA
Racing: Sparks should be A Flyin tonight
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