 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1956
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1956 NZ OAKS
Overdrive won the New Zealand Oaks at New Brighton from end to end and increased her lead when the pressure was on over the final furlong.
A smart beginning saw her open up a clear lead from barrier rise, and she never looked like losing it. This is the second year in succession that the Oaks has gone to a daughter of Whipster. Last year's winner, Glint, also proved a cut above her opposition.
Overdrive's superiority was not surprising because she had already rated well against some of the top two-year-olds of last season, when she finished third in the Geraldine Invitation Stakes to Arnhem and Shantung, second to Bon Ton in the New Zealand Welcome Stakes, and third to Finestra and Golden Hero in the Methven Two-year-old Stakes.
Mr S T Webster, breeder-owner of Overdrive, also raced a previous classic winner from the same family, Jack's Son. Overdrive is out of Lucky Sweet, a daughter of the dual New Zealand Cup winner Lucky Jack, and the Wrack mare, Correct, dam of Jack's Son, a Champion Stakes winner and high-class performer in New Zealand and Australia; Correction, a good trotting winner in New Zealand and Australia; and Morning Wings another good winner at the trotting gait. Further back the family traces to the thoroughbred mare Idasa, fountain-head of the famous family which produced Springfield Globe, Cloudy Range and Ironside, all pacers of the top class.
Allanah Marie, Teremoana, Shantung, Our Bridget and Double Dale broke at the start. Gay Alabama and Stellar were the closest to the winner at the home turn, and Stellar made a spirited effort to race away from Gay Alabama from the furlong post. Stellar is a bay filly by Springbok from the smart pacer Star Ace (dam of Star Rose, Mayenga, Consul and other winners).
The bracketed pair from Gore, Ley's Pride and Mooloo, were disappointing. Mooloo broke up early, and Ley's Pride was struggling to hold her position with about three furlongs to go and finished a poor sixth.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar