Racing: Western Dream closes in on filly of the year title

Don't let the record book fool you - Western Dream is ready to claim the New Zealand filly of the year title.

The leggy pacer may have done enough to earn the title with her third group one win of the season in the $100,000 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington on Saturday.

After giving her army of supporters concerns when crossed at the start by Pam Bromac she was able to work off the markers, claim the lead and from there on the race was for second, a position that fell to Affairs Of State ahead of Alinghi.

The win was Western Dream's 12th and gives her an edge over arch-rival Tosti Girl in the battle for the filly of the year title, which could prove so valuable to her already highly-commercial future broodmare career.

Tosti Girl was missing from Saturday's race after a slight virus sent her to the spelling paddock as the winner of the Great Northern and New South Wales Oaks.

One more feature race win for the season would almost certainly have been enough to earn Tosti Girl the title but Western Dream can seal it by winning Friday's New Zealand Oaks.

And trainer-driver Tony Herlihy warns punters to ignore her staying record in four days' time.

He has always rated Western Dream a better stayer than a sprinter but she has been unplaced at her only two starts past 2200m, in the Great Northern Oaks and when taking on the older horses two starts ago.

"I still think she is going to develop into a good stayer and I am looking forward to the extra distance of the Oaks," said Herlihy.

"The fact she has been beaten twice over 2700m isn't really her fault. The first time she was trapped three wide for a long time was in the Great Northern Oaks and she still stuck on really well.

"And the second time was in that race against the older horses a few weeks ago. That was a good field and after drawing the second line I would have liked to have driven her cold for one run at them.

"But she was a warm favourite and I had to put her in the race. As it turned out she had to work too hard and three-year-old fillies can't do that against those tough older horses.

"So I think her record doesn't really tell the full story."

Western Dream might get a few more chances to prove her staying prowess even after Friday night's Oaks, in which she will face many of the fillies she beat comfortably with a 58 second last 800m on Saturday.

If she returns to Auckland in good condition Herlihy is keen to take her to Australia for the Victoria Oaks and the Breeders Crown in August.

"She is handling the racing well and the Aussie trip is very much on the cards because she can always have a big break afterwards."

Western Dream gives Herlihy a chance of the lucrative feature-race double on Friday night, with Fergiemack now looking the biggest danger to superstar Gotta Go Cullen in the Sires' Stakes Final.

Fergiemack overcame losing an early speed duel and a very wet track to pace his last 800m in 58 seconds to beat older rivals at Timaru yesterday.

"I was really happy with him. He felt great and raced kindly so all we are hoping for is a good draw on Friday."