Trainer Phil Sweeney remains tightlipped about his plans for talented mare Lady Brook despite an impressive win in the $25,000 Newhaven Park Country Championship Preview (1200m) at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Thursday.
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But star jockey Blaike McDougall is in no doubt about Lady Brook's credentials for the $150,000 SDRA Country Championships Qualifier after piloting the $2.25 favourite to an all-the-way win in the preview.
"She was brilliant today," McDougall said.
"I thought on paper there was a bit of speed in the race so I imagined we'd be in the one-one. But one of her great assets is how she steps. She stepped very clean and with the weight (60kg), while I was having an easy time of it I was happy to leave her out in front. She controlled the race throughout and she won quite dominantly."
The four-year-old was rated beautifully to win by a length-and-a-half from an eye-catching Blitzar ($4.60), narrowly ahead of Prince of Helena.
McDougall has committed to ride Oamanikka (for Albury's Donna Scott) in the $150,000 feature at Wagga on Saturday week. But he was glowing about Lady Brook.
"I was always going to ride Oamanikka but I tell you what, off that, if I didn't have a ride I'd probably be taking her," he said.
"Phil's got her racing in career-best form and off that I think he'd be pretty happy going into the qualifier with a strong chance."
The 1400m SDRA qualifier is worth $76,500 to the winner. But Sweeney was cagey when quizzed about being back in just over a week.
"I don't know... I'll see how she pulls up," Sweeney said.
"It was only a class four. She's a class three mare and she won a class four, with too much weight.
"It was a handy win... it was good for the mare and good for the owners... she's going good."
Lady Brook was coming off four runs in Melbourne, including two minor placings at Moonee Valley.
"She should've won one or two in Melbourne," the Jerilderie trainer said.
"She is city class. She always has been city class. She was only here because it was class four."
Wagga trainer Chris Heywood was "stoked" with Blitzar's fast-finishing second after it settled sixth in the eight-horse field.
"That's what we're teaching him to do... relax and then finish off hard," Heywood said, adding that he's confident about the step up to 1400m.
"I couldn't have asked for any better. People are skeptical if he'll run 14. He'll run 14. He's been second over 13 before and he used to pull. Now he's relaxing and he's monstering the line."
