Almost time for Miss Oahu to put her feet up - she hates getting them wet anyway

Time is running out for today’s Waipukurau winner Miss Oahu.

The Pins six-year-old only just copped today’s dead 4 conditions and trainer Lisa Latta says the onset of wetter tracks is likely to mark the end of the mare’s racing career.

One wet patch on the track in the run home today almost put paid to her challenge.

“Robbie (Hannam) said when she hit it, it took a bit to get her organised again. That’s when it looked she was only going to battle away and run third.’’

But, to her credit, Miss Oahu, so often the bridesmaid, kept plugging away and, while it never looked like she was going to make it, when the post came up she had her nose just in front of local mare Pincanto.

“Even though they got none of the predicted rain overnight, the track was quite dead. She likes it a lot better than that.’’

Miss Oahu gets her nose in front right on the post to beat Pincanto at Waipukurau today. PHOTO: Race Images.Miss Oahu was perfectly ridden by the in-form Hannam who punched her out to an early trail, before easing back to fourth when she started racing too keenly.

He presented her at the right time in the run home and kept at her until the post.

The win took Miss Oahu’s tally to three from her 25 starts and, along with nine placings, her bankroll stands at $43,860.

“I thought she’d get a lot further than she has,’’ says Latta. “I don’t know what it is about her but you’d have to say she’s been a shade disappointing.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the boys tried to move her on as a broodmare now. She’d make a beautiful broodmare as she’s big and good looking.

“And she has to be quite valuable as she’s a half to Reilly Lincoln who was Group I placed and won a Group III race.

Reilly Lincoln won seven of his 19 starts, including the 2016 Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton. He ran third in Start Wondering’s Railway at Ellerslie and fourth equal in Signify’s Telegraph at Trentham.

Providing the tracks remain good, Latta may consider a black type race at Hastings, her favourite track, in two weeks, the $50,000 NZB Finance Sprint (1200m).

One race earlier, stablemate Authentic Charm didn’t get the wet conditions she needed but still battled away bravely for a close third behind Charlie Zulu and Tennessee Rose.

Hannam was stuck in very tight quarters for most of the run home but got clear in time and told Latta it didn’t cost the mare a better placing.

“They only walked in front which didn’t help,’’ says Latta.

“Robbie says a wetter track would definitely have been better for her.

‘I’ll look for another race for her in a couple of weeks.’’