 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1986
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1986 NEVELE R NZ OAKS
Free's Best caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the time honoured New Zealand Oaks, but the least surprised person on the course afterwards was her West Melton trainer-driver Eddie Cowie. "For a long time I've thought this would be her race and she has been set for it," Cowie said soon after the shock win. "I have always thought she was a better filly than Time's Up," he added.
Time's Up was the horse that put Cowie on the map in the 1979-80 season, winning nine races for him as a juvenile. Taken over by Jack Smolenski for her three-year-old campaign, Time's Up recorded a rare New Zealand/ North Island Oaks double.
While her form on paper was nowhere near as impressive as the favourites for the $35,000 Nevele R Stud New Zealand Oaks, Free's Best has long been considered the most unlucky filly racing this season. "I have been meaning to count the number of second row draws she's had, and of course, she was wiped out last week," Eddie said. Free's Best was 'wiped out' in the DB Export Fillies' Final and her luck did not look like changing when she drew barrier 14 for the mobile 2600 metres Oaks. With Gina Rosa, Michele Bromac and Kiwi River drawing handily on the front row, Free's Best was a forgotten filly and at odds of 61 to 1 when she settled down at the start with only a couple behind her.
But over the first lap, the race played right into Cowie's hands. "She's good because she sticks so well. A fast run race was just what I was hoping for," Eddie said. While Koobecar was keeping Michele Bromac parked three wide with virtual 2:00 speed up front for all of 1300 metres, Cowie was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to make his move. Free's Best was the first to challenge three wide from the rear with a lap to run and just as Michele Bromac finally reached the lead, Cowie was beside her to maintain the seemingly suicidal pace. Free's Best surged past Michele Bromac on straightening and had a winning break as far as 150 metres out. Gina Rosa, after enjoying a good run three back on the inner and issuing a challenge at the top of the straight, finished powerfully but found Free's Best too strong, falling short by three quarters of a length. Michele Bromac was hardly disgraced when she finished three lengths away in third, four and a half lengths ahead of third favourite Kiwi River, who ran on late from back on the rails.
But it wasn't so much the win by Free's Best, but the manner in which she accomplished it. The daughter of Besta Fella simply wore her rivals into the ground, something her time of 3:17.3 bore ample testimony too.
It bettered Hilarious Guest's race and New Zealand record by 2.8 seconds, and compared more than favourably with Roydon Glen's three-year-old record of 3:15.7 and the all-age record of 3:14.6 shared by Malaz and Freightman. Free's Best became the third New Zealand record holder from the first crop of Besta Fella, whose only other representative in the Oaks was Michele Bromac. Besta Fella's progeny set records because they are tough. Obviously, it was a fine result for the race sponsor Nevele R Stud, which imported Besta Fella.
It was also a real tonic for Free's Best's veteran owner-breeder Clarrie Rhodes, who admits to being in poor health these days. Clarrie, now 81, has often had a 'turn' lately and last Thursday night, it seemed unlikely he would make the Oaks meeting. But he was there to see his first win in an Oaks event, and also his first 'big' win since True Averil won the 1971 New Zealand Cup.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in NZ Trotting Caledar