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Elect To Live the winner of the 2002 NZ Oaks

2002 WAYNE FRANCIS MEMORIAL NZ OAKS

Running a New Zealand fillies' record to win the Wayne Francis Memorial New Zealand Oaks was just another day at the office for Elect To Live.

Once she reached the front, just 600m after the start of the race, few got even close enough to pick up the scent. She was always a clear leader, out by four lengths, sometimes five. At the finish, Goodnight Aveross had narrowed it down to a length and a quarter, and at the end Elect To Live had set a new mark of 3:13 for a 2600m mobile for 3-year-old fillies. The time is one that is achieved by only remarkable athletes, horses like Kate's First who had the record before Elect To Live. Trainer/driver Neil Brady said: "There wasn't much left, but she could have kept on going."

Mark Jones, the driver of Goodnight Aveross, said he wasn't surprised Brady would drive with supreme aggression. "He told me at Motukarara the week before,'you will have to be good to keep up.'"His lead was a wee bit exaggerated by me staying back, but I also knew my filly would stay," said Jones, who led the chasing bunch.

This was Elect To Live's 19th win from 27 starts in New Zealand, and her stake earnings have passed $500,000. To pass it off as a remarkable achievment is a gross understatement. Brady has been a genius and Elect To Live is proof of it.

Here is a sample of some respected opinions...

Bob Negus, who won the Oaks with Glint in 1955: "I wouldn't have thought he'd get away with it, going out and driving like that. He gets them to start. I haven't seen a filly as good as that, especially with the speed she has. She's a fantastic filly, to do all the travelling she's done, and Brady's a magic fellow to manage it. I was proud of what Glint did. She got me out of poverty lane. She set a record on the grass at New Brighton, and was beaten a nose by False Step in the Derby. There have been some very good fillies, especially that Grice breed, horses like Glamour and Riviera who a beautiful looking mare, and I think Elect To Live is from the same family."

John Butcher, trainer of 1991 Oaks winner, Smooth Performer: "She's the best horse I've seen win the Oaks. Hilarious Guest won the Oaks and beat the colts in the Derby, but this horse is incredible and I don't see much else in her class. You've got to hand it to Brady, he's done a wonderful job with her."

Maurice McKendry, who drove Iman to win the Oaks in 1995: "What she's done is unbelievable, and Brady has taken training to a new level. I don't think Iman could have stood it, done what she's done. Was I surprised that Brady would take her out like that? No, not really. That's where he likes to be, and his horses are trained for it. He knows they have to close on him, and it's hard for them when you've got the best stayer. The 2600 metres finds them out. It will be interesting over the shorter distance this week, because one of two have said they were unlucky. We'll see..."

Paul Davies, Canterbury Standardbred agent: "She's number one, without a doubt. The best filly ever, in my mind. Under Cover Lover was very good, so was Tupelo Rose, and Hilarious Guest beat the colts, and Jack Smolenski and the Purdons have had many good ones, but I haven't seen one as good as this. She's left the one-one, and cleared out. We were told Oaxaca Lass was special. She was off her game, but even at her best she wouldn't have beaten this filly. She's travelled to Sydney and Tasmania, and won in both places. At this time of year, other trainers are bringing their horses to their peak, but she's gone up another notch."

Lindsay Turner, trainer of Tigerish who won the Oaks 11 years ago: She's a true racehorse. To win it so easily after a hard campaign - and she's got eight starts or so still to come - shows how tough she is. And she did it all on her own. She deserves to win the Triple Crown and I hope she does. Some of the others appeared to be a bit disappointing, but you take it away from what she has done."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in NZHR Weekly

2002 NEVELE R FILLIES FINAL

The Nevele R Fillies Final last Friday night was open to all-comers when the favourite Elect To Live ran out of steam at the top of the straight.

This unexpected development was a surprise invitation to the others, and it was not one of the favourites but Whanau who emerged with the commitment to get home first. It was not by much, half a head to be official, and 10 metres out it appeared as though Angela Jane had edged past. And she had; driver Mark Purdon was sure of it. But over the next 10 metres, Whanau won it back, and caused a huge upset.

The same filly had run well below her best in the New Zealand Oaks the previous week. Trainer Henry Skinner put it down to the fact she pulled hard, but in case he had missed something he got Robert Cameron to handle her when she fast-worked on the Wednesday before the race. Skinner really wasn't in the best shape because he had the flu, but Cameron reported that she worked as well as he would have liked. "I thought she was okay for the Oaks," said Skinner, "but she didn't get the best of runs. But I was dissappointed about where she finished. I had her blood done after that, and everything was right there," he said. On reflection, he thought she had had some bad luck in some of her previous races. In one, she made a break at the start, and when she was due for another she had to miss it because of a cold. It meant she had to do some catching up on what she had missed at the trials.

As good as she went on the night, Whanau also had the benefit of a splendid drive by Peter Jones who was also as good as anyone on the night. He put Lento's daughter into a nice place, midfield on the outer, then caught the back of Hot Blooded Woman who was making some headway forward at the 700 metre mark. It took her far enough for her to strike out on her own near the 500 metres, and Whanau moved into it at a quicker rate than Elect To Live who was moving back. She was not alone because Goodnight Aveross was again showing a lot of cheek and Angela Jane had made her own ground from the back and was chasing hard. Whanau stuck to her guns to give sire Sands A Flyin his second successive winner of the race, following that of Sparks A Flyin last year.

Skinner, who trains a small team at Branxholme and made his name with some wonderful horses such as Sapling, Sure Mart, Forto Prontezza and No Return, races the filly with his wife Karen and the horse's co-breeder, Alex McDonald. McDonald trained and part-owned Lento, (MR 1:56.4, 2000m), with Lorraine Coutts. She was sold last September, in foal to Dream Away, to Robert Famularo's Cavalla Breeding. Lento is also the dam of a 2-year-old by Sir Vancelot, owned by Keith and Lorraine Coutts, who bred Whanau in partnership with McDonald.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15May02