 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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It was a double dose of Group 1 success for Lauraella at Addington this month. A week after winning the Nevele R Fillies Final, in which it was said she was short of her best, Lauraella ran off with the $150,000 Nevele R - Wayne Francis Memorial Oaks. There was a late flurry for second and third, with Alexis arriving just in time to peg back Imagine Me and Arden's Darlin was a clear fourth.
David Butcher gave Lauraella time to settle, midfield on the outer, and he sent her up with cover and made the lead comfortably at the 1600m. Events unfolded pretty much as expected from there, with little change until the second tier of favourites emerged in the run home to sort out the minors.
Lauraella, by Christian Cullen, has the probability of a repeat win in the Harness Jewels in less than a fortnight, and the possibility of the Breeders Crown after that. Sandy Yarndley, on behalf of the Hardwood Breeding Syndicate, says there has been no commitment to anything after the Jewels, but he knows there is nothing of importance for the 4-year-old mares until much later in the season.
Trainer Geoff Small is also cautious about thinking any further than the Jewels. "It's a long season for 3-year-old fillies, if you go to the Crown, but they do get a break after that." Small has done it before, winning three Oaks and the Crown with Pullover Brown, the only filly who could match what Laurella has done.
The double won by Lauraella has also been achieved by One Dream, Western Dream, Kate's First, Under Cover Lover, Robyn's Treasure, Tigerish and Smooth Performer in the last 25 years.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly 20 May 09