By Jonny Turner
Delightful Peg delivered a tight-knit crew a special thrill when showing her true worth to win the Group 2 Macca Lodge-Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks.
The Canterbury pacer had flown into a gallop when taking the passing lane in her last two starts leading into Southland’s premier race for three-year-old fillies.
But when driver Matthew Williamson angled the Brad Mowbray-trained filly into exactly the same spot on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park, she delivered a powerful and professional victory.
Williamson and Mowbray’s association dates back to around the time they produced Delishka to run fourth in the 2017 Southern Oaks Final, making the win special for them.
“That would be one of my more special wins, just because Brad has been a great mate of mine and we have had a lot to do with each other,” Williamson said.
“It is just super to win a nice race for him.”
Delightful Peg’s victory also gave Mowbray and his family a moment to treasure.
The pacer is raced by the trainer alongside his mother-in-law Jenny Knight and wife, Melanie.
“Mel does a lot at home, she is looking after the team while we are down here,” Mowbray said.
“Jenny is a great supporter of ours as you would expect, so it is great to be able to win a nice race for her.”
While she had made errors in her last two starts, some tinkering on the training track with Delightful Peg’s gear by Mowbray proved crucial when the filly was at her best on Diamonds Day.
The trainer admitted it had been a process to get the three-year-old to become a Group Two winner, but he had had faith in her ability.
“She has been a project right the way through, we are just over the moon.”
“We have taken small steps, there have been setbacks but times like today make it worth it.”
Williamson landed back-to-back Southern Oaks wins with Delightful Peg after taking out the race last year with Flying Ellie.
The reinsman was denied another Group race victory late when Duchess Maria downed Who’s Ya Daddy to win the Group 3 Entain Southern Classic on Diamonds Day.
Williamson’s brother Nathan produced the filly for a slick and professional win in her first start.
Five Crowns left a strong field with few excuses when clearing out to win Sunday’s feature for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Driver Blair Orange burnt early with the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained pacer, who still had plenty in reserve to race away to win the Group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes.
Though the pacer looked in full control throughout, Orange admitted there were some nervous early moments in the sulky.
“The one draw was always in the back of my mind, that it wasn’t ideal for him.”
“
I would have loved two or three, I asked him for an effort early and I nearly lost him around that first corner.”
“But he gathered himself up nicely and he was pretty strong to the line.”
Five Crowns set a new 2200m Ascot Park track record for three-year-old male pacers with his 2.38.2 time.
Delightful Peg set a new three-year-old fillies track record when stopping the clock in 2.38.6.
