Locally trained and bred filly With A Bit Of Dash can claim a home town victory if she can beat the more fancied runners in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
With A Bit Of Dash, above, can claim a home town victory if she can win the Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
The Chris Bieg trained With A Bit Of Dash is rated as one of the outsiders of the Schweppes Oaks at $26 even though she finished second at her last two starts to the $3.20 favourite Kenedna.
With A Bit Of Dash was beaten three quarters of a length when second to Kenedna in the Listed $110,000 See South Australia Laelia Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on April 8 and then got to within a length and a half when runner up again to the Darren Weir trained filly in the Group 3 $120,000 Schweppervescence Stakes (Registered as Auraria Stakes) (1800m) at Morphettville a fortnight later.
Bieg thinks with a bit of luck his filly will be able to reverse the result this weekend.
“I think it’s going to come down to a bit of luck,” Bieg told The Advertiser.
“Everyone is talking about Weiry’s horse (Kenedna) and how she was held up for a run last time … but I reckon we were held up just as badly, if not worse.”
Bieg can’t see any problem with With A Bit Of Dash handling the step up to the 2000m of the Oaks but can see some of the opposition struggling at the extra distance.
“You’d think there will be a few more finding it hard to get the trip with the extra 200m. Mine makes her own luck. She’ll sit on the speed and won’t have to worry about fighting through traffic,” Bieg said.
Top Adelaide rider Jamie Kah has been aboard With A Bit Of Dash at her last two outings and she was impressed with the filly’s final Oaks lead up gallop on Thursday and very keen about her chances.
“Jamie did her final bit of work with her this morning (Thursday) on the grass and she said she’d never felt better,” Bieg said.
A win in the Schweppes Oaks by With A Bit Dash would also be very special for Bieg as the family bred the filly at their Murray Bridge property.
“We bred her ourselves up at Murray Bridge, so that makes it even more special,” Bieg said.
“Twelve months ago, we said this is an Oaks filly so it doesn’t necessarily surprise us. It still feels a bit surreal that it’s actually happening, though.”
With A Bit Of Dash has drawn barrier nine in the original draw but could move in two spots in the final sixteen horse field when the emergencies come out while John Allen is certain to give Kenedna the run of the race from barrier three.
The Chris Waller trained Egg Tart is on the second line of betting for the Schweppes Oaks at $4.20 behind Kenedna and will be chasing her fifth win on the trot as she steps up sharply in class and distance after winning a 1600m three year old fillies Handicap at Flemington on April 25.
