Miss Oahu … likes placing more than winning with one win and eight placings from 23 starts. PHOTO: Race Images.
Miss Oahu says mahalo for rock hard track at Woodville on Sunday
By Barry Lichter • 14 March 2019
A good 2 track at Woodville on Sunday could be just the conditions Miss Oahu needs to score an overdue win.
The Pins six-year-old mare doesn’t have the greatest winning strike rate, but her record of just two wins from 23 starts is more a reflection of her hatred of getting her feet wet.
It’s no coincidence that her favourite track is Hastings, where she has racked up a win and five placings because of the regular better footing. Her only two failures there were in slow and heavy ground.
Woodville is also a kind track to Miss Oahu. She broke maidens there in January of last year - on good 2 ground - and ran second at her last visit when it was a dead 4 when she ran into subsequent Pegasus Sprint winner Casaquinman.
On Sunday she has to contend with the outside gate of the nine runners but trainer Lisa Latta says she has the speed to go forward and cross them.
At her last start she could not get on the front end after being tightened at the start, settling fifth in the running.
But when rider Robbie Hannam was able to clear heels at the 200 she really stretched out late, unleashing easily the fastest last 600 metres in the race of 34.62 to get within half a length and a long head of winner Euka Lady.
“She worked very well on Wednesday and will like the good conditions she will strike,’’ says Latta. “If she runs as well as she did at Hastings last time she will be hard to beat. She’s racing well and deserves a turn.’’
Master Lincoln … has been disappointing with only one win from nine starts but gets a top jockey in Sam Collett on Sunday. PHOTO: Royden Williams.Stablemate Master Lincoln, on the other hand, “needs to front up” in the sixth race, says Latta.
“He’s been disappointing but I might have backed him up a little too soon last time.’’ The horse’s Otaki failure came only 11 days after he ran a bold second at Wanganui.
“He’s better with his races spaced a bit.’’
It will be 27 days since the Mastercraftsman four-year-old’s last start when he lines up on Sunday and Latta says the horse worked well on Tuesday.
“He strikes a very even field and if he can perform up to his run at Wanganui he is capable of featuring in the finish.’’
Latta has engaged top jockey Sam Collett this time, suspecting Madan Singh was not strong enough for the horse at Wanganui.
“But Woodville is very firm and, while the track has a great sole of grass on it, a shower of rain would not hurt.’’
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Lisa’s comments
Saturday at Otaki
Race 3: Platinum Tyche
1:19pm
“I couldn’t be happier with her work and she has certainly improved from her first-up run when she did not have all favours. I don’t think it’s the strongest of fields and the forecast is looking good so I think she will get her chance to bounce back to winning form. Bruno Queiroz rides from gate four.”
Race 5: Platinum Attack
2:29pm
“He drew badly in 19 but they will start only 14 so he will come in to 13 or 14. The positive is there is good speed in the race with Shoes, Party Rocking and Idyllic who all go forward. I couldn’t be happier with him - his final work on Wednesday morning on the course proper was as strong as ever. He still has his summer coat and is looking fantastic. It’s a similar field to the one he beat last start at Trentham and Bruno Queiroz just needs to find some luck in the running.”