Cranbourne South trainer Ashlee Terry has her fingers in both the South Australian Oaks and Derby on Thursday night at Angle Park with litter sibling Nervous An Weird and My American Girl.
Also bred by Ashlee with the Sparkle And Fade Syndicate, the Barcia Bale – Father Of Mine litter siblings won their respective heats of the Group 3 South Australia Oaks and Derby last Thursday night.
Nervous An Weird recorded the fastest Derby Heat win, stopping the clock in a time of 29.59sec over the 515 metre distance from box four.
Fellow Victorian Often Imitated equalled Nervous An Weird’s 29.59sec run in her heat of the Oaks from box eight.
WATCH: Nervous An Weird win the opening heat of the Group 3 South Australian Derby from box four.
Nervous An Weird has drawn box two in the Group 3 $25,000 to-the-winner final and is equal $2.80 favourite with South Australian Smart Knocka who will exit box one.
“He is drawn well but there is a lot of speed underneath him. He pulled up really well after his first 500 so we will be better for the run,” Ashlee told RSN’s program Off The Leash.
Seona Thompson has a strong hand in the Derby, with two runners engaged in Group 3 Warragul St Leger winner Aston Kimetto (box six) and Fab Reiko (box eight).
Jeff Britton could potentially have a two-pronged attack in the Derby with Grey Ghost winning his heat in strong fashion and Crackerjack Skip the first reserve after running third to Smart Knocka.
My American Girl backed up her litter brother’s effort in the following race defeating Agent Thirteen and Victorian’s Oakvale Magic and Palisades Park.
To the first mark, My American Girl stopped the clock at 4.38sec – the equal second fastest first sectional alongside Smart Knocka and behind Often Imitated (4.33sec).
“She actually went quicker to the first mark in her trial last week – 4.32sec. I don’t think she began as good as she did on Thursday because the five (Palisades Park) began well and then brought her into the race again but she has a big turn of foot anyway,” Ashlee said.
“I think she can improve off the first section, but it is going to be very hard to beat a dog like Often Imitated who is off the red.
Often Imitated for first time trainer Bradley Greenough is the punters elect on Thursday night, opening up as the $1.50 favourite. My American Girl, who will jump from box eight is a $5 chance.
