THE OAKS DRAW IS A NIGHTMARE FOR EUTHENIA

The reigning Australian two year old filly of the year Lady Euthenia won four group one races last season and this Friday will be back competing at the highest level in the New South Wales Oaks. The barrier draw has made it a lot tougher for the daughter of Art Major after she drew gate eleven on Tuesday but her trainer Peter Lewis is still confident his filly can win the $100,000 event.

"I'm not too worried but it would have been nice to draw one, two or three so she could have gone straight to the lead" Lewis said.

"Her versatility is what makes her so good. She can race outside the leader if she settles nicely and travels on the bit. I think she has one of the quickest sprints I have seen."

Lewis believed he was facing a tough season with Lady Euthenia after being such a dominant two year old and when she was beaten first up in the Raith Memorial at Harold Park the pressure increased.

"I was feeling some pressure after her two year old season because she had created a bit of a reputation but in saying that I have always had confidence that she would improve. Even though she raced in all of the good races last season, we looked after her pretty well."

"It was a bit of a holiday camp for her at home last season because we used to let her out every day on the grass and she was very well looked after. While she did go around in all of the features she wasn't knocked around and I knew she would get stronger."

She won eleven of her thirteen starts last season and was only beaten at her first run in a race and her final start as a two year old in a semi final of the Breeders Crown in Victoria when she was beaten 27 metres as a $1.60 favourite.

"We are pretty sure she choked down in the semi final of the Breeders Crown. She had done it before at the Fairfield trials when she got locked away on the fence. She pulled a bit and choked down at the 400 metre mark and Mitchell had to pull her up."

"She just wasn't herself at Melton that night. She was a bit sour and kicking the side of the stall while we were gearing her up."

Lady Euthenia was impressive winning her Oaks qualifier last Friday by more than 17 metres. Her time was the fastest of the three heats but Lewis still expects some improvement.

"I said to Mitchell (Reese driver) on Friday to just shake her up in the straight and give her a good hit-out. She was leading by a couple lengths at the top of the straight and when he clicked her up she found another two lengths."

"Hopefully she just keeps on improving and I do think she has another half a second up her sleeve if she needs it."

The NSW Oaks is a race that Lewis would love to add to Lady Euthenia's resume. He picked the event out as one of her main targets for the season and knows how much it could mean for her later in life.

"The NSW Oaks is a very prestigious event and it will mean a lot to her further down the track when she goes into the breeding barn. People like to see the Oaks in their record because there is no such thing as an easy Oaks and you are always taking on the best."

Lewis will return to Bathurst next month for a shot at the Gold Bracelet for three year old fillies after this week's Oaks.

"I think it is about four weeks between the Oaks and Bathurst so I will just give her a few days off around home and freshen her up because she does have a long season ahead of her. "

"After Bathurst I will need to sit down and re-evaluate where we go next."

The NSW Oaks is race five at Harold Park on Friday night and will start 9pm.

LEW HITS A SPEEDBUMP ON THE WAY TO THE INTER

It takes a lot to stop Karloo Mick and his trainer Barry Lew. Fresh from his second place in Saturday night's Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley, Lew loaded the gelding and one of John McCarthy's horses onto the float on Monday and headed off to Anna Bay via Dubbo to put the final touches on the nine year old for his upcoming Inter Dominion campaign.

Lew was travelling along the Dunedoo Road about 50 kilometres south of Dubbo when a 500kg steer wandered out onto the road leaving the trainer with only two options.

"I had to make a quick decision whether I tried to swerve and miss it or hit it and hope it didn't do too much damage" Lew said.

"If I swerved I thought I may have tipped the float or rolled down a deep embankment on the side of the road so for the safety of Rhonda and I and the horses I hit the steer. The car is badly damaged and the bullbar just about ended up in the engine but we are fine and so are the horses."

Some short term repairs got the Landcruiser to Anna Bay but Lew knew that he couldn't take any chances driving a damaged car during the Inter Dominion series and contacted a car dealer about getting it fixed.
"I have had to tie down the bonnet with some rope and use a bit of chewing gum on the radiator. I rang Rod Smith from Terry Shields Toyota about where to get it fixed and he said to me that he would lend me a replacement Landcruiser until mine was fixed."

"He didn't have to do that, it just goes to show what a great bloke he is."
Lew believes Karloo Mick is on target for the Inter Dominion series beginning next week and while he was slightly disappointed finishing second in the Hunter Cup he knows that getting back to the beach at Anna Bay will assist the nine year old greatly.

"I have already had a muscle manipulator look at the horse since we arrived because the horse wasn't himself last week. He seems good now and I think there will be some improvement in him, especially being able to take some stress off his old legs working him on the beach."

"The Inter Dominion has always been his main target and I think we are ready to go."