Emma Stewart’s fillies in quality Oaks heat wins

Promising Victorian filly Willows Girl (Sweet Lou) drew first blood in the opening heat of the Success Stud New South Wales Oaks with a narrow but ecstatic harness racing win over Ripples.

Willows Girl had come off the back of winning the Gold Bracelet Final at Bathurst but she was pitted against the very capable Ripples who was fresh after winning her Sires Stakes Semi Final at Cambridge in New Zealand earlier in the month.

In a drive for the early lead Cameron Hart held the early lead with Willows Girl but Luke McCarthy was determined to cross over and the pair ran 25.9 seconds for the first quarter.

WILLOWS GIRL 25 APR REPLAY

Perfect Delight was forced to go up and race outside the leader giving Enola a one out and one back trail. Queensland visitor Alwaysbjoy eased back to the rear from her wide draw.

Ripples got a slight breather with a second quarter of 29.8 seconds but Willows Girl was stalking right behind her. At the top of the straight Willows Girl eased out for her run and looked to have Ripples covered. However Ripples made a race of it and refused to give in but at the line Willows Girl had a half neck to spare over Ripples while Alwaysbjoy rattled home to take third less than five metres away.

The winner’s mile rate was 1.50.9 and she’ll be hard to beat in next week’s $200,000 Final either leading or taking a sit. But Ripples lost no admirers in her performance and if she is up with the leaders in the early stages then she has to be considered.

Trainer Emma Stewart completed a double when her other star filly Arrhythmia (Vincent) gave a faultless display to win the third heat of the Success Stud New South Wales Oaks.

Confidently supported into a short priced favourite Arrhythmia showed electrifying early speed from barrier nine to take up the running from Fake Friends who commenced quickly from the middle draw.

The lightly raced Senses had some support but she was then shuffled three back on the rails.

Cameron Hart on Arrhythmia was able to 29.1 seconds and she was able to reel off her final two quarters in 27.9 and 26.5 seconds that proved too much for her rivals.

To her credit Senses came off the fence on the final bend where she was about ten metres behind Arrhythmia and she narrowed the winning margin to four and a half metres with Fake Friends another six metres away in third.

ARRHYTHMIA APR 25 REPLAY

Arrhythmia’s winning mile rate of 1.50.2 was the fastest of the Oaks heats so driver Cameron Hart will obviously need to make a decision as to which filly he prefers. It will be a tough choice to make as both fillies have an enviable record although Arrhythmia may have the higher early speed.

It was yet another memorable evening for Hart as Arrhythmia’s win was his fourth for the evening. He won the opening race with the vastly improved Nerano (Tin Tin In America) while the much improved Laydon (Rock N Roll Heaven) who swamped his rivals with a well timed burst.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink