Is Oakvale Destiny fated to win, can Free Candy produce the sweetest of upsets or is Liara Allen’s powerful finish the key to the Group 2 Solo WA Oaks (530m) at Cannington?
These are some of the questions ahead of what should be an exciting race on Saturday night.
From the pole Oakvale Destiny (pictured with handler Angela Langton) deserves to start favourite.
The Sapphire Crown winner won’t spring out of the traps and onto the bunny but once she clicks into top gear she’s a big change to push through along the rail and challenge for the lead.
If she finds a way to clear air Oakvale Destiny is going to mighty hard to hold out.
Oakvale Destiny is undoubtedly the prime hope out of Jeff Britton’s trio but his other two representatives, litter-sisters Mepunga Moss and Mepunga Hayley, can’t be discounted either.
Mepunga Moss recorded a nice victory in her heat but Mepunga Hayley’s resurrection effort to run second behind Free Candy was arguably more impressive.
Mepunga Hayley found more trouble than an NRL player on a night out but keep fighting and was able to charge to the line and stay alive in the series.
Free Candy heads local aspirations in this race and her prospects of claiming the silverware for trainer Steve Withers will be greatly enhanced if she can lead from box two.
The fastest qualifier has now saluted in five of her past six starts, she knows this track well and she has enough early toe to contend for the frontrunner’s position.
Liara Allen won her heat from box one and while she faces a far more difficult task from box seven against a more difficult field she’s already knocked out one the main dangers in the series by denying Oakvale Flyer a spot in the final.
Unfortunately for her, as trainer Steve Collins joked during the week, ‘there’s seven more’.
Liara Allen will jump at lengthy odds but is worth consideration against opposition that isn’t likely to completely blow her away in the early stages as she possesses a withering run home.
The race is one of ten on offer at Cannington, with action starting at 9.05pm (AEST).
For fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Proven Katie (Race 2)
Best Value: Prang Monelli (Race 3)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 1, 2, 4, 7
Race 6 – 5, 6, 7
Race 7 – 2, 6, 7
Race 8 – 1, 6
$20 for 27.77%
