The well-bred First Dance emerged as a serious player in the Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Oaks Final when she justified a significant betting move to win her series qualifier on Saturday night.
The Jess Tubbs-trained filly was crunched by punters to start a $2.30 favourite over early market elect Sahara Breeze and cashed in on the barrier advantage against her main rival with a tough victory in the heat at Melton.
Driver Greg Sugars quickly found the front from gate three and that’s where First Dance stayed as Saharah Breeze tried gallantly from the death seat but could only get to around 2m from the winner on the line.
“We’ve got a lot of time for this filly, we really like her, but we had a lot of favours tonight and it won’t be that easy next week of course,” Sugars said.
First Dance is a half-sister to the stable star Triple Eight – being by A Rocknroll Dance out of top broodmare Slangevar – and is raced by many of the same connections including Father Brian Glasheen and breeder Scott Plant.
“We’ve liked her from day one pretty much, but she’s such a big filly and a different body shape to her brother,” Sugars said.
“She’s only been lightly-raced. We pulled the pin early in the season to give her a good break and we are starting to see the benefits from that now.”
Emma Stewart’s Major Delight also raced her way into the Victoria Oaks Final, but not before some drama to close the Melton card.
The first running of the second Oaks qualifier was aborted when Kerryn Manning was dislodged from the sulky of Surfinmakescents, who fell shortly after the start and was unable to be lifted from the track before the field entered the second lap of the 2760m journey.
The event was called off and horses vetted before the race was re-run around 11pm, without Manning and her charge.
Major Delight had no trouble strolling to the front for driver Mark Pitt and was never headed on her way to a 3.3m victory over stablemate Sweet Bella, who sat parked from barrier nine, and Bernie Hewitt’s interstate raider Jewel Melody.
“She is a great filly,” Pitt said.
“She still hasn’t worked it all out yet. She gives you a scare at times, but she only does what she has to do.”
The victory lifted Major Delight’s career record to 12 wins from 13 starts with prizemoney earnings now up over $444,000.
Manning suffered a fractured wrist as a result of the incident and is set to be in a cast for around four weeks, but reported that Surfinmakescents had pulled up “pretty good” despite hurting a knee during the fall.
The top six horses across the line in each heat of the Oaks have qualified for the Group 1 final on October 14 at Melton. The draw for the race will be conducted live on Sky Racing from 9am on Tuesday.
