Miss Laura Jane (left) outguns Sophie Pass in the first Victoria Oaks heat
Kept For Pleasure might have returned to form in the most emphatic fashion, but it was an astonishing performance in defeat by Vista Bella that was the major talking point after the heats of the 2008 Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Although she had to settle for third placing behind Miss Laura Jane in the opening heat, Vista Bella is the nominal favourite for next Saturday night’s Group 1 final after producing a breath-taking performance.
While the Craig Turnbull-trained filly enjoyed a cosy run on the back of early leader and favourite Sophie Pass for much of the 2575m heat, her chance of qualifying for the final looked shot 400m out when she galloped and lost up to 25m.
While she quickly got back into stride, driver Chris Alford had trouble obtaining a clear run for a couple of strides straightening for home and it was at that point that Turnbull was hoping his star filly would just finish in the top five book herself a place in the final.
Not to be denied, she still almost got up and won. Once in the clear Vista Bella finished powerfully and just failed to reel in Miss Laura Jane and early leader Sophie Pass.
While disappointed at not winning, Turnbull said the positive was that she qualified for the final and at least he knows she’s going well.
“The worry for me was the 2500 (metres) because she can 'get on the steel' at times, but I knew down the back that she was travelling and I was really looking forward to the sprint lane,” the Doreen trainer said.
“But that didn’t work out and I’d basically given up hope. I could see she was getting going again and I was just hoping she’d get through, but I didn’t expect her to finish like that.”
Vista Bella finished third, less than a metre and a half from the Glenn Douglas-trained Miss Laura Jane, who turned in a gritty display to run down Sophie Pass.
Vista Bella’s run stole some of the limelight away from Kept For Pleasure’s impressive win in the second heat.
Last season’s champion two-year-old filly, the Susan Hunter-trained daughter of Safely Kept showed an explosive turn of foot to return to the winner’s list in the most emphatic fashion.
Kept For Pleasure, with champion reinsman Gavin Lang at his composed best, rated 1:59.9 – one-tenth of a second quicker than Miss Laura Jane – in her four-metre win over Howards Dilemma ($53) and Weona Badgirl ($12).
Rounding out the top five, and thus qualifying for next week’s final were another 50-1 shot, Perfect Katie, and New South Wales Oaks winner Don’t Fall For Me ($1.60 fav), who weakened in the home straight after setting a solid tempo when leading for most of the race.
Joining them in the final, to be run at Bendigo, will be Don’t Fall For Me’s Leigh Smart-trained stablemate, Too Smart For You, and Gilt Bromac, who finished fourth and fifth in heat one, while Scented qualified as the fastest sixth placegetter.
