Gerard keen to pin down Oaks
Rugged filly shapes as the horse to beat in classic at Trentham
Pam Gerard believes Pinmedown can take her somewhere she has only been once before today — the winners’ circle at Trentham. Because no matter what unfolds in the $400,000 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ Oaks the rugged filly shapes as the horse to beat in the classic.
The shape of the Oaks could change dramatically if rain forecast for Trentham arrives, with good draws becoming bad and the 2400m on anything testing sure to cause headaches for many of the 18 fillies.
But Gerard, who officially trains Pinmedown with Mike Moroney but does most of the hands-on work with their New Zealand team, doesn’t have to worry about the weather.
After all, Pinmedown came from near last to win the Eight Carat Classic on a heavy Ellerslie track on Boxing Day and overcame a wide draw to win the Sunline Vase on a good track last start.
So they have a filly at her peak, who can handle any track conditions and who has a habit of winning from wide draws.
All of which could see Gerard in that winners’ circle she has not yet visited with her current training partnership.
As a team she and Moroney have only had 10 Trentham starters over four years and none have won.
“We don’t head there very often and when we do it is for good races, which are never easy to win,” says Gerard.
“I have actually trained a winner at Trentham myself but nothing quite as big as an Oaks.”
Gerard was pleasantly surprised Pinmedown could win the Sunline Vase last start as she was only in the race to get miles into her legs for today and was expected to improve. She has.
“She is spot on,” she offers. “She will love the 2400m, in fact she has been crying out for it, and the wide draw isn’t that big a deal, especially if any rain comes.
“So while it won’t be an easy race and fillies like Imelda Mary and Queen Of Diamonds have been in great form too, I couldn’t be happier.”
The rain which was forecast for the last couple of days hasn’t hit Trentham so the track should be a Dead5 or 6 unless rain forecast for tonight comes earlier, during the meeting. Wellington being Wellington, this shouldn’t be ruled out.
Though that wouldn’t bother Pinmedown and only a heavy track would seem to negatively affect Imelda Mary, race favourite Queen Of Diamonds should be far more comfortable if the rain stays away.
She looked like she was going to win the Eight Carat on Boxing Day until she floundered in the wet once her head was let go, but was then a huge fourth in the Karaka Classic, finishing in front of both Imelda Mary and Pinmedown.
After a solid performance behind Imelda Mary in the Sir Tristram at Te Rapa she reversed those roles in the Lowlands at Hastings last start and she might simply have the most class in this Oaks.
But her wide draw means an inform Matt Cameron is going to need to get her tactics spot on and while she may look almost too brilliant for the grind of an Oaks, recent history suggests the raw ability of our best fillies can often help them stretch past their natural stamina limitations.
Gerard and Moroney won’t only be relying on Pinmedown today as they believe She’s A Thief is ready for
1400m against the boys in the $100,000 Wellington Guineas.
“The way she has hit the line over
1200 and 1300m her last two she is ready but she wouldn’t want the rain,” says Gerard.
Qiji Express, who downed She’s A Thief last start, looks the logical danger as he hadn’t even trialled before that fresh up win and did it so easily it shouldn’t have taken much out of him.
And the Matamata trainers also have The Boy Wonder in the St Leger (race three), in which he isn’t well placed at the weights but they believe the 2600m will suit.