The three year-old fillies maiden at Seymour on Thursday produced an interesting quinella with a couple of fillies clearing out from their rivals and both have pedigree and profile to suggest a path to the Group I VRC Oaks might be on the cards.
A flashy bay by The Autumn Sun, Nikitria was sent out twice as a juvenile by Clinton McDonald in Listed races over short trips won by Rich on Bubbles and Gin Twist before heading to the paddock with spring in mind.
She returned first up in this 1300m assignment and the drop in grade and step up in trip paved the way for her strong finishing head win over another promising filly in Platinum Pearl, a daughter of champion sire Frankel.
The Ciaron Maher trained Platinum Pearl started favourite at her second race start following a debut placing last month and there was little between them at the finish with both making appeal as fillies on a classic path this season.
Nikitria was a $550,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Arrowfield for Shane McGrath Bloodstock / Clinton McDonald Racing and is the first winner from Group III winning Savabeel mare Missybeel, who comes from the family of Group I winners Metal Bender and Amarelinha, who won a New Zealand Oaks.
Platinum Pearl was a $900,000 Magic Millions purchase from Yulong for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock/Belmont Bloodstock Agency and runs in the Myracehorse colours.
She is the first foal from blueblood Dark Angel mare Of Good Cheer, which explains the grey colouring, and comes from an elite Juddmonte female family as her third dam is dual Group I winner Heat Haze, the dam of Mirage Dancer, who came to Australia and won the Group I ATC The Metropolitan…. He is also by Frankel!
The Autumn Sun and Frankel are proven sires of Oaks winners, so keep your eye on both of these fillies as they step up in trip and remember there are plenty of Oaks races to be run next year as well.
