Hill poised to break Oaks drought

Local harness racing favourite Danni Hill will be aiming to break a female drought in Saturday night’s South Australia Oaks.

As crazy as that sounds given the Oaks is for fillies, the time-honoured event has been dominated by male participants in recent years.

In fact, it has been more than a decade since a reinswoman captured the Blue Riband.

That honour went to Kate Gath, who captured the 2004 edition with Yada Yada Yada.  

Gath is the only reinswoman to secure the Oaks since its inception in 1956.

Hill will partner boom filly Whats Emma Got, which appears to have been handed the feature on a silver platter.

Successful at seven of her eight starts for the term, the Glenda Fuller-trained pacer has drawn to led throughout from the pole.

Whats Emma Got’s only defeat for the season was an eye-catching third in last month’s SA Derby.

Thrilled with the draw, Fuller is confident Whats Emma Got can lead throughout the 2230-metre trip.

“She’s drawn very nicely and hopefully she can do it justice,” Fuller said. “She’s been going very well and we’re really happy with her.

“I am really pleased with her work and she will be hard to beat.”

Citing Victorian raider Looks Like Heaven as the main danger, Fuller also rates Tauto Jane as a threat.

Tauto Jane will begin from gate three, while Looks Like Heaven is set to trail Whats Emma Got and await the sprint lane from the inside of the second row.”

“Looks Like Heaven would be the biggest concern,” Fuller said. “We’ll just have to try and hold her off in the straight.

“Tauto Jane is also a nice filly and has drawn well.”

• PAUL COURTS