Rick (left) and Shannon McLean celebrate Broadways Best's Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks win
Shannon McLean and his family were given something to smile about after a sombre couple of weeks on Saturday night when Broadways Best won the Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks at Moonee Valley.
The McLeans were knocked around when Shannon’s aunty, Joan, lost a long battle with illness last week and the Gisborne South trainer dedicated the victory to her.
“It was mum’s sister and she was a special person on mum’s side of the family,” McLean said.
“She’d had a long illness over the last two years and the win was a little bit emotional because it’s been a big couple of weeks. It was good to get the win not only for us, but for her as well.”
Broadways Best performed as if she knew there was more than just victory riding on the $100,000 Group 1 event.
The daughter of Village Jasper pinged straight to the front from barrier four with Chris Alford in the cart and at no stage of the 2575-metre staying test did any of her rivals ever look like they had her measure.
After a moderate lead time she went through the first quarter in 31.1 seconds, during which Queensland Oaks heroine Ima Spicey Lombo moved around to assume the spot outside Broadways Best.
They covered the second split in 32.3 seconds but it wasn’t long after a 28.5-second third section that the $2.50 favourite edged away from her rivals.
She careered away in a 28.4-second final quarter for a dominant eight-metre win over Elixir ($33) in 2:03.6. Life Inthefastlane ($6.60) flew home to pip Ima Spicey Lombo ($3.30) for third place almost six metres back.
“The big races are never easy to watch, but to see her run away on the turn was really good to see. It was pretty painless in the end,” a relieved McLean said.
The emerging trainer said it was an important win for Broadways Best, who despite running second to Captain Joy in the Victoria Derby had only won two restricted races in a 12-start career.
“A few people would have been asking we put her in the Derby and said she was lucky to get the run she did because she didn’t do much (in the run), but I think we’ve proved why we’ve got such a big opinion of her,” he said.
“She’d only won a couple of times before the Oaks, so it was good to get the victory on the board and prove to a few people what we’ve been talking about for a while with her.”
