The two heats for the New South Wales Oaks at the harness racing meeting at Tabcorp Park Menangle last night have laid the groundwork for an enthralling final next Sunday.
First Heat
The West Australian raider Dodolicious lived up to her billing as the best in the west as she gave her eastern states rivals a good old fashioned thrashing in the first of the two Oaks heats.
Driver Luke McCarthy let her find her feet early before taking over after 700 metres and ambling through a middle half of 61.6 before brushing home in a smart 55.3 with the last 400 metres in 26.9 for an easy victory.
Luke eased Dodolicious down the last bit but she couldn't have been more impressive in her Menangle debut and looms as a winning threat in the Oaks final.
The way the race was run it is hard to make a case for any of the other runners in the first heat to play a major part in the final next week.
Dodolicious paced the 2400 metres in 2:55.2, a mile rate of 1:57.5 with closing sectionals of 55.3 and 26.9
The daughter of Bettor's Delight is now the winner of ten races and with five second placings from just fifteen starts, Dodolicious took her stake earnings to just shy of $200,000 with last nights win.
Second Heat
The unbeaten Our Dream About Me was pushed to the limit in the second heat of the New South Wales Oaks by a very game Rocknroll Magic and it wasn't until the last 20 metres that Our Dream About Me got her nose in front.
Mark Pitt sent Rocknroll Magic, the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover forward early from barrier eight and she found the death seat after 150 metres while Natalie Rasmussen was content to idle along three back in the running line.
Rocknroll Magic started to apply some pressure from the 800 metres, brushing down the back straight in a quick 27.3 and Natalie and Our Dream About Me were off in pursuit as they went past the 500 metres mark.
However Rocknroll Magic was flying in front and turned for home a couple of lengths to the good of Our Dream About Me and she was still traveling.
For the first time in her racing career Our Dream About Me looked very vulnerable but like all champions do, she lifted under Natalie's urgings and put her nose in front where it counted in the last few strides.
When the closing sectionals were announced post race it quickly became apparent just how good the first two fillies had gone.
The last 800 metres off the front had been covered in a brilliant 53.5 with the closing 400 metres in a sizzling 26.2.
Rollnroll Magic had worked harder during the running but Our Dream About Me had somehow made up three or four lengths on a 26.2 quarter and both fillies could take plenty out of their runs heading into next week.
The rest of the field was nearly thirty metres away and it is hard to envisage any of them playing a major part in the Oaks Final next Sunday.
Overall Our Dream About Me paced the 2400 metres in 2:53.2, a mile rate of 1:56.2 with those sizzling sectionals to finish of 53.5 and 26.2.
Last nights win by Our Dream About Me made it eleven straight for the daughter of Bettor's Delight and took her stake earnings over the $440,000 mark.
The New South Wales Oaks Final next Sunday looks a three horse race between three very talented fillies.
Our Dream About Me deserves to be favourite but as last nights racing showed, Dodolicious and Rocknroll Magic are not going to die wondering.
Harnesslink Media