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Aardie B Miki made a strong impression in her first apperance on Victorian soil, winning the first heat of the Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks at Melton Entertainment Park.
Trained by Chantal Turpin and driven by Queenslander Pete McMullen, the three-year-old mare showed resilience by leading early and digging deep to secure victory.
Regular driver Queenslander, Pete McMullen has been happy with the three-year-olds work heading into the $150,000 event.
“I am happy enough with her and everything is going well with her,” McMullen said. “She got through last week good and Chantal (Turpin) has been down there (Victoria) with her for most of the week.
“She was really happy with her and everything is as good as can be and what will be, will be on Saturday night.”
Winner of the second heat the New Zealand-trained Coastal Babe has drawn inside of Aardie B Miki, with the likely possibility of both heat winners drawing one and two respectively if the emergency fails to gain a start.
“I went and watched her (Coastal Babe), she led and got the front very easily and sprinted home, if we could be in front of her, but we might have to see what happens, I suppose,” he said.
“If there was one horse I wanted to draw inside of it would be Coastal Babe, unfortunately she has got the better draw on us.”
“I am happy enough with the draw.”
The daughter of Tatijana Bromac is set to head back to Queensland after Saturday night’s feature.
“The plan is to come home,” he said. “ It will be the end of her three-year-old season and maybe a couple of open mares features for her up here,” McMullen said.
“Hopefully she steps up and I think she will, she is a good filly.”
Saturday night’s Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks final is set to go at 9.36pm and is one of six Group 1 classics on Sportsbet Victoria Cup night.
The October 12 meeting will be shown on Sky Racing, with a special free-to-air broadcast on Racing.com’s channels 68 and 78.