By Jonny Turner
Delightful Peg may have snuck under punters’ guards when winning the first heat of 2025’s Macca Lodge and Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks series at Oamaru yesterday.
Trainer Brad Mowbray now has the luxury of being able to time his run into Group 2 final of the long-running championship after his filly sustained a big run win in a dead-heat victory.
Fellow Canterbury horseman Mark Jones is in the same sweet spot after Selsey Anne charged home wide out to level with Delightful Peg right on the winning post.
When Delightful Peg lines up in the Southern Oaks Final next month it will hardly be new territory for the three-year-old.
Despite clashing with smart fillies like One For Jay, Spicey Crunch, Winelight and General Jen throughout her short career, Delightful Peg was let go at juicy $16 odds at Oamaru yesterday.
“She has raced the good ones right the way through and she hasn’t had all the luck in the world,” Mowbray said.
“In her last start at Winton she got left parked in a five-horse field.”
“She has always had the ability there but she has gone through phases of doing a few things wrong.”
“So it was good to see her get a result like that today.”
Mowbray has aimed high with Delightful Peg because of the opinion he has had of the filly.
Driver Matthew Williamson not only gave the pacer a winning trip in transit yesterday, he also gave her early education at his base at Oamaru racecourse.
“Matty broke her in and gave her a good report,” Mowbray said.
“We have always had a good opinion of her which is why she has raced some of the better ones.”
Delightful Peg was purchased at the National Yearling Sales in Christchurch by her trainer’s mother-in-law Jenny Knight.
Knight races Delightful Peg with Mowbray and her daughter, Melanie.
Williamson was also in the winner’s circle as a trainer at his home track yesterday, producing Jordan Anne to win the Nat Kinzett Memorial Handicap Trot.
The brilliantly consistent mare capitalised on a sweet trip in the trail to score for junior driver Hayden Douglas.
The victory was the first for his new boss after Douglas moved to Oamaru to take up a position with the Williamson stable recently.
The combination of Jordan Anne, Williamson and Douglas was also successful at Winton last month, before the junior driver made the shift back to his hometown from Invercargill.
