Gatesys Gem gets her Group 1 in NSW Trotters Oaks

Star Victorian filly Gatesys Gem (Aldebaran Eagle) with the services of Luke McCarthy gave a copybook display to score a narrow but convincing win in Group 1 $75,000 Haras des Trotteurs New South Wales Trotters Oaks at Menangle on Saturday night.

Drawn the pole Gatesys Gem was safely away and McCarthy let Miss Ohana to take the early lead and have a good trail behind her.

There were a number of gallopers at the start including the very well supported Why Tanya Sue  and Keayang Kurki who both more or less lost all chance when they were tailed off back in the field.

Another Victorian Jilliby Dreamlover also broke not long after and she put herself out of contention.

GATESYS GEM MAY 10 REPLAY

Iron Women and Tracy The Jet both started to make up steady ground but Gatesys Gem slipped clear on the final bend with what appeared to be a winning break. However Tracy the Jet set out in hot pursuit and she sprinted so quickly that for a fleeting moment it looked as if she might snatch victory on the line.

But being nursed along Gatesys Gem found a little bit extra to win but just on a metre from Tracy The Jet with Iron Women over 45 metres away third.

It was a wonderful performance by Tracy The Jet who is trained by Jess Tubbs and her late husband Greg Sugars had driven the filly in previous encounters including her previous win at Melton. In the Oaks she was handled by ace reinsman Grant Dixon.

Driver Luke McCarthy was full of praise for Gatesys Gem.

“She was very good. She’s a beautiful trotter. She had a nice trip. I thought she was going to win easily. I got a bit of a shock to see the other horse. But I asked her again and she found again.”

“I was being pretty kind to hear. She was five lengths clear and I didn’t want to give her the stick as they can make a mistake. But she won quite easy. The second horse was great also.”

Gatesys Gem proved to be the leading two year old trotter last season but couldn’t win a Group 1 event. But all those who saw her agree that she filled out into a magnificent filly who can only get better with age.

The filly is trained by Glenn Hunter from Traralgon and now that she has the first of the three year old trotters classics she will play key role in the forthcoming feature events.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink