Classy mare Aardies Express overcame a wide draw and a tough run to score a stunning win in the Queen Elizabeth II Mile, one of four Group 1 races on Ladies Night at Menangle on Saturday.
he Kiwi mare is now with Sydney trainer/driver Jack Trainor and gave him a third Queen Elizabeth II Mile in the last four years when she gunned down multiple Group 1 winner Ladies In Red in the concluding stages.
Trainor took Aardies Express back early from her wide barrier and then joined the three wide line where she sat throughout the race before easing five wide into the home straight and unleashing a withering sprint to gun down Ladies In Red, who had been pressured in front but fought strongly for second, beaten just a neck.
Illavabubbles gave young driver Chloe Formosa a thrill in her first Group 1 drive when sticking on for third.
The win was Aardies Express' 15th from 21 starts and saw her unbeaten in five attempts at the mile.
Star Victorian filly Very Pretty made a one-act affair of the NSW Oaks earlier on the program.
The Emma Stewart-trained three-year-old stretched her unbeaten record to eight when she pushed to the front early for driver Mark Pitt and controlled the race.
Local star Lux Aeterna, who had yet to taste defeat at Menangle, gave chase in the straight but Very Pretty drew away late to cruise home by 12.7m.
Queenslander Zena Rhayne Bow gave Chantal Turpin a Group 1 placegetter when third at $101.
The Macarthur Mile for the trotting mares saw Im Ready Jet come from behind arch rival Queen Elida and gun her down for another Group 1 victory.
Queen Elida was returning to Australia off a placing in the rich TAB Trot in New Zealand and led as favourite but couldn't hold off Im Ready Jet who sat away from the pegs in the run before letting rip in the home straight.
The Victorian pair cleared away in the run home with Im Ready Jet getting the better off her rival by 1.6m. Majestic Trio got up for her third in her first outing back from a spell, close to 20m off the winner.
Lightly raced filly Keayang Zahara became the second unbeaten Oaks winner on the night when coming from behind to land the NSW Trotters Oaks.
Keayang Zahara came into the race as the least experienced filly but started favourite having impressively won her two starts by big margins.
Keayang Zahara was beaten for early speed and was shuffled back on the pegs so had to wait for the gaps to appear but was able to work to the outside before the home turn and charge home to win by 5.2m over Mega Spur with Pinnie third.
Namaka looks another smart filly to emerge from the night's action with the Kevin Pizzuto-trained juvenile scoring her second win from as many starts when leading throughout in the Group 3 Pink Bonnet for the two-year-old fillies.
