Ya Rite Darl on her best behaviour

The Robert and Jenna Dunn trained Ya Rite Darl (What The Hill) was on her best behaviour today when she came off a twenty metre handicap to win the $40,000 Group Three Jasmyn’s Gift Fillies and Mares Stakes at Oamaru.

The four year old mare was going into today’s feature fresh and some punters had reservations about her stand start manners after she’d broken in both of her trials prior to today’s race.

“Last time in she was great from the stand start, especially the campaign in Auckland. In that second trial I definitely gave her a good hit out after. She wanted to step away today and be part of it. That’s always pleasing,” said regular driver John Dunn.

Most of the pace was made by surprise favourite Penelope Lane.

“They were going like the clappers up front and we were a long way back a lap out. I got a good drag up which was a massive help.”

Turning in, Dynasty set sail for home with a good buffer. But once Dunn let Ya Rite Darl have her wheels she let down to win by three quarters of a length from Dynasty with an unlucky Resolve finishing third half a length away.

YA RITE DARL REPLAY

“She felt great today. She hit the front and knocked off a bit, like she does. I could have sat for another furlong before I pulled her out. She had a good blow, but she recovered really quick which is good going forward. It’s great to have a mares race. It was a fifteen horse field and last year was the same. That was a good field of mares.”

Ya Rite Darl holds a nomination for The Dominion, Novembers trotting feature at Addington.

“It’s not going to be easy from now on in. She’s fronted against the open class trotters in Auckland but it’s going to be hard because if they get full fields she’s going to have to start off the unruly. We’ll go in the DG Jones Memorial in two weeks time and the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup. We’ll probably leave her away from the mobile. We’ll have a crack at the Dominion.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink