 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1978
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1978 NZ OAKS
Lady's Rule will go down in the record books as being the winner of the 1978 NZ Oaks, but those records will not tell the true story of the courageous performance turned in by the third placegetter Gina Marie.
Without trying to take anything away from Lady's Rule, who gave of her best and gained due reward, she may have only been second to her North Island Oaks conqueror had not Gina Marie gone down on her nose at the start. A hot favourite to complete the Oaks double, Gina Marie moved off well enough, but after a couple of strides took fright when she heard a rival driver yelling. She stumbled, went down and looked certain to hit the deck. A stride past the post she was second, and it was a performance which stamped Gina Marie as a class above the other fillies this season.
Lady's Rule's victory, favoured though it was by Gina Marie's misfortune, was still deserved as she has proved an honest and consistent performer for trainer-driver Robert Dunn and owner Mr Bert Penney, a Kaiapoi freezing worker. Acting on instructions from Mr Penney, Dunn purchased Lady's Rule as a yearling at the National Sales for $1200. It was a wise investment, as a filly has now won $11,450.
Credit: Editor of the NZ Trotting Calendar