THE PETLEY REPORT: AMARELINHA SCORES BRILLIANT WIN IN THE GROUP 1 NEW ZEALAND OAKS

By Jack Petley | Sunday, March 21, 2021

The outstanding three-year-old Kiwi filly Amarelinha is now at $4 for the Australian Oaks after her brilliant success … and ever so easily too … in the Gr1 NZ Oaks at Trentham. The daughter of Savabeel has now been successful at five of her seven starts and gathered more than half a million in stakes. Jamie Richards, the mare's ever so successful trainer for the Te Akau team, said he is in "two minds" whether to extend her campaign with a trip to Sydney or to head to the spelling paddock if the wet tracks across the Tasman persist. "We will look at Aussie," Richards told the NZ racing Desk, "but she needs good ground so we will take her home and have a look at her before we make further plans." Opie Bosson said the filly relaxed beautifully and showed a wonderful turn of foot when he asked her to move forward.

Richards was also successful with the three-year-old Need I Say More in the Wellington Guineas taking the record of the smart young galloper to even of nine starts and with some big races already behind him including the Waikato Stud Slipper, Northland Breeders, Sarten Memorial, Mufhasa Stakes and the Almanzor Stakes. From his wide gate Jonathan Parkes drove the three-year-old forward and had him right on the pace, in front off the home bend and a decisive winner. Richards also provided the third placegetter, Cornflower Blue who ran home hard but the other stable runner, Brando, faded badly off the home bend."

The Benner-Wynyard stable had to watch their smart filly Bonham finish late for a solid second in the Wellington Guineas after a rocky run early, but later on the card they were rewarded with a dashing win by Grand Mayson, in the hands of Lisa Allpress, in the Lightning Handicap. The six-year-old son of Power has been unlucky on many occasions and in fact went into the race with 13 seconds and thirds from 26 starts. Allpress brought him home hard to gain a win in the final few strides of the 1200 metre event. "I was told to just wait and wait more," said Allpress, “And I did just that."

That ultra consistent mare Coventina Bay won the Cuddle Stakes, narrowly, after a top ride from Samantha Collett. That win was her second in black type company and she has now won eight of her 12 starts.

In the St Leger the Allan Sharrock trained stayer Waisake was too good in the big event in the hands of that highly successful young rider Hazel Schofer. She took the stayer up to the lead when the pace was slow and off the home bend went clear. "He found his comfort zone then and he was the best horse in the race," said Sharrock.

At Morningtron the Team Hawkes French bred stayer Prince Poppa gained his ticket for the Caulfield Cup when successful, and decisively, too, in the Mornington Cup in the hands of the high class Perth rider William Pike. Mount Poppa took his record to five wins and nine placings from 15 starts and since he has been in Australia he has been handled patiently by the Hawkes yard. "He has done everything right so far," said Wayne Hawkes," “so he can now spell and head to the spring."

Pike combined with the Hawkes stable to win the William Reid at Moonee Valley on Friday night and he was in fine form at Mornington, winning four including the Guineas on Dom to Shoot and the Hareeba on Laverrod.

An eye catching winner on the card was the two-year-old Daily Bugle … for the Griffiths-de Kock yard. He finished strongly to win the Sires Produce over the Godolphin pair, Alegron and Micro. Sydney now looks on the card for the smart youngster with the Sydney programmes being setback a week with the Slipper meeting postponed to next weekend. "That extra week is an advantage," said Robbie Griffiths.

And talking of the Slipper weekend the Slipper field stays the same, but not other races on the card … that could see some smart gallopers on hand including All Star Mile winner Mugatoo for the Ryder, and while the Ranvet drew only five for the Saturday there are indications that other stayers will now make the payment including, I see, Toffee Tongue, Colette and even the Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet … and Chris waller has said that he may now allow Nature Strip to run this weekend in the Galaxy.

That was a solid win by Bold Executive at Eagle Farm yesterday and judged on the manner he won he could be a leading Queensland Derby contender.

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