VICTORIAN trainer David Hayes looks set to win another Tasmanian oaks after his three-year-old filly Green Roller outstayed her rivals to win the $100,000 Listed Strutt Stakes over 2100 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Sunday.
Green Roller came from well back in the field to score a runaway win over race leader Papillon with First Bloom flashing home to run third ahead of another interstate invader First Bloom.
Hayes won last year’s Tasmanian Oaks with Rock Robster and Green Roller gives the impression she may be more talented.
She was ridden by Chad Schofield who was patient and prepared to wait until the 1000-metre peg to make his move.
“We had a nice run in the race but the pace wasn’t strong and I was wary of the leader getting too far in front,” Schofield said.
“I had to be patient but once I pulled her out into clear running she was really strong to the line,” he said.
Hayes’ assistant trainer Garry Fennessy was full of praise for the filly that is by Flying Spur from the Canny Lad mare Given.
“”She had already proven to be competitive over distances up to 1800m but we were quite confident she would handle the extra distance of this race,” Fennessy said.
“We won the Oaks with Rock Robster last year and then took her up to Sydney but she didn’t handle the wet tracks but we could do the same with this filly if she is still going well after the Tasmanian Oaks,” he said.
The stablemate Global Balance was backed into favouritism at $3.60 but her race was over at the half-way mark when the saddle slipped.
Global Balance raced outside of the leader Papillon that was worried from there on in by a filly that was difficult to control.
Settler’s Joy was a drifter in the market staring at $5.50 and while she was the first Tasmanian filly home she was no match for the placegetters, although rider Craig Newitt said she struggled on the track and changes strode three or four times at a crucial stage of the race.