Top filly Aussie Made Lombo has drawn the pole in the second of two APG heats at Menangle
Illness denied Aussie Made Lombo the chance to log the first Group 1 of her three-year-old career in last month’s Australian Pacing Gold final, but tomorrow night at Menangle she gets the chance to qualify for a shot at another.
Last season’s Australian 2YO Filly of the Year heads a strong Victorian contingent heading north for the New South Wales Oaks and will contest the latter $20,000 qualifier at 9:10pm.
The daughter of Australia’s only million-dollar racemare Tailamade Lombo has started just once since missing the January 28 APG final, when she beat the older horses at Cranbourne on February 16, and Davies is pleased with the way she has recovered.
“She won her C0 but she needed that run desperately and slept better for it,” the Clyde trainer said.
“She hasn’t done a lot since she got crook, but she’s fine she now and worked terrific during the week.”
Aussie Made Lombo, who is yet to miss a place in 21 starts, renews acquaintances with star local filly Sheezallattitude, who made the most of Aussie Made Lombo’s absence, to win the APG final. They have drawn to fight out the 2300-metre race in barriers one and two respectively.
Other Victorians engaged in heat two are the Ruth Shinn-trained Its Dutch Courage (6), Joe Pace’s Dream Verdict (7) and Tony Peacock’s South Australian Oaks winner Awaywiththefairies (12).
Accompanying Aussie Made Lombo north is untapped Australasian Breeders Crown-winning stablemate Passions Promise, who, like Aussie Made Lombo, will be driven by Chris Alford.
The daughter of Modern Art will take part in the opening heat, at 8:10pm and has drawn barrier seven in the event also containing the in-form Lively Moth (6), who is also from the Tony Peacock yard, and Peter Salathiel’s Giggling Girl (9).
The Oaks heats may be run without Davies, who is stranded in earthquake-stricken Christchurch after heading across the Tasman for last weekend’s yearling sales.
Safe and uninjured, Davies was due to fly out on Wednesday, but was looking at a best-case scenario of a Friday departure after having her flights cancelled.
Menangle isn’t the only New South Wales track that Victorians will look to claim feature spoils this weekend with Andy Gath heading to Bulli with Our Molly Finn for Saturday night’s $50,000 Group 2 Linden Huntley Little Memorial 2YO Fillies Final.
The daughter of Real Desire, a dominant nine-metre winner of her heat on debut, has drawn the coveted inside alley for the 1940-metre event at 7:45pm.
