| Ballarat trainer
Darren Weir has a great chance to win his first Group race when he saddles up She's Archie
in Saturday's Group One Feltex Carpets SA Oaks at Morphettville as the Adelaide Cup
Carnival continues. Weir had never had a runner
in a Group race before She's Archie ran in the Schweppes Australasian Oaks at Victoria
Park at her last start. And it nearly turned out to be a fairytale result.
After racing midfield the daughter of Archway rallied in the
straight and made a charge at the well fancied Tully Thunder who shot to the front shortly
after turning for home. For a fleeting moment it looked as though She's Archie was set to
produce a major upset. Sadly for Weir and her owners the filly's run ended about 100
metres out and Tully Thunder responded to Damien Oliver's hard riding and got home by
three parts of a length.
Weir, who formerly trained his big team at Stawell, is keen
on his filly's chances on the weekend although the uncertain weather conditions are
throwing up plenty of questions.
"We just don't know how well she would handle wet
conditions," Weir said this morning. "She's won on a dead track before but that
was certainly not in Group One class."
"Her mother was a swimmer. In fact I think the only
races she won were on heavy tracks. So you would hope She's Archie would be the
same," he added.
She's Archie had her final hit out for the weekend's race
this morning and her work pleased interested onlookers.
"We sent her down to work on the course proper at
Cheltenham this morning and she worked nicely," her trainer said.
Peter Mertens, the star of last year's Adelaide Cup Carnival
after winning the Cup and the Derby at Group One level, will be in the saddle again on
Saturday.
She's Archie has been rated as a $6 chance in early markets,
much shorter than her quote of $26 before her previous Group One start. She is one of
three fillies on the second line of betting behind the $3 favourite Tully Thunder. |
