Top driver Nathan Jack knew during the pre-race warm-up that bookmakers had got it wrong sending his filly Just Hope out a $71 chance in Saturday night’s Group 1 NSW Oaks.
Jack revealed the daughter of Bettors Delight felt like a different horse to the one who was beaten into third place behind Amore Vita in her heat the previous week.
“She felt as flat as a tack when she went out onto the track in the heat last week, but on Saturday night she felt as good as she ever has,” Jack said.
Jack believes Just Hope was feeling the effects of travelling to Sydney two days prior to the Oaks heat.
“She is normally a good eater, but it took until Tuesday for her to eat up her dinner so there is no doubt the trip knocked her around a bit,” he said.
Trained by Jack’s father Russell, Just Hope flew the gate from her wide barrier and crossed to the pegs inside the first 100 metres before she relinquished the lead to the well-fancied local filly Madrid.
Madrid attempted to steal a winning break on the home turn, but Just Hope peeled off her back with 200 metres to travel and produced a powerful finale to score by three metres. The $1.60 favorite Amore Vita was a metre away third.
“I just love this filly, she is the best horse we’ve got and she is as good as any of the other fillies. But the wide draw made it hard to think she could turn the tables on Amore Vita from the heat,” Jack said.
The win was the 36-year-old Jack’s second Group 1 success since returning to the sulky last month following a lengthy absence.
“Yes, I’m hungry as ever since coming back to driving,” he said.
Jack is hoping for more Group 1 success when he partners the Victorian-owned Mach Dan in next Saturday’s Miracle Mile.
Meanwhile, four Victorian prepared three-year-olds earned berths in the NSW Pacers Derby Final following the heats on Saturday night.
The Emma Stewart-trained Lightning Dan will line up alongside fellow heat placegetters Hot Deal, Captain Ravishing and Solesseo Matuca.
Picture courtesy Club Menangle, video courtesy Sky Racing.
