Oaks distance looks no problem for Louies Girl
JONNY TURNER
AN astonishing Southland story can reach new heights with victory in the group 2 Southern Oaks Final.
She might not have the flash pedigrees of some of her rivals, but Louies Girl has all of the qualities needed to star on Diamonds Day.
The filly is by a former cult hero of the southern tracks in Lord Forbes who was not commercially available to breeders at the time of her breeding.
And she is from a mare who had not been able to produce a starter from her three previous foals.
Louies Girl already has a group 1 placing to her name and she looks a big chance of adding a deserved group race title to her name tomorrow.
If her sire is anything to go by, the filly should relish the 2700m of the Southern Oaks Final.
And everything she is showing trainerdriver Craig Ferguson suggests that will be the case.
“I think she will handle it. It is unknown but she has shown the signs it will really suit her.
“She switches right off in her races and you usually have to keep her mind on the job.”
Barrier 1 looks the perfect draw for most favourites in a group event.
But Ferguson sees positives and negatives around the ace alley.
“I am 5050 on the draw. We will just see how the race pans out.
“She won her first couple of races in front and she did it quite impressively.”
“She is very fast out of the gate and we will just have to make a call whether we stay in front or if there is one we could hand up to.
“One thing about these Oaks races, especially last year, is that there are usually plenty of gaps opening up.
“So we should have plenty of options.”
Ferguson also starts the favourite in tomorrow’s Southern Country Cups Final in Da Vinci.
The pacer brings outstanding form from country cup races throughout the summer and autumn.
Da Vinci will have to overcome a 30m handicap to win the 2700m event.