Pennyweka saved the most unexpected gift of a golden autumn for New Zealand racing until last with a win in the A$1 million Australian Oaks in Sydney yesterday.
The New Zealand Oaks winner sat three wide for the 2400m race before racing to the lead at the top of the straight, and when the locals challenged at the 200m, she found more and raced clear.
The Group 1 victory was the fourth by a New Zealand-trained female galloper in Australia in five weeks, starting with Legarto in the Australian Guineas. Imperatriz was next in the William Reid, Prowess beat up the Aussie fillies in the Vinery Stakes two weeks ago, and when she went home, Pennyweka crossed the Tasman to finish the job.
As great as the other wins were, Pennyweka’s was different.
She is trained by 76-year-old Opaki horseman Jim Wallace, who rarely has more than a few horses racing and before this season had trained 18 winners for $216,000 in stakes in the previous 10 years.