HORSHAM filly May’s Dream has tasted success at the top level after winning the $400,000 Group 1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks at Morphettville on Saturday.
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The three-year-old daughter of New Approach overcame a wide barrier to win the 2000-metre feature race.
Jockey Brad Rawiller gave May’s Dream a brilliant ride, taking a narrow gap to overcome Star Fashion and Scratchy Bottom in the closing stages of the race.
Bred by the late Worrall Dunn, May’s Dream is owned by Horsham’s Dunn family and a syndicate from the White Hart Hotel.
The filly’s dam is She’s Archie, who finished second in the Melbourne Cup.
Mr Dunn’s daughter and May’s Dream owner Celeste Patterson said her father might have played a role through divine intervention.
“We actually said he made the gap and opened it up for us – he might have just helped us win,” she said.
“This is what his life was all about and we’re just along for the ride.”
She said owning a Group 1 winner was an incredible feeling.
“It was very close in the finish, we thought it was a lot bigger margin until we watched the race again,” Mrs Patterson said.
She said celebrations went long into the night.
It was Rawiller’s 15th Group 1 victory and he celebrated the win only minutes after his brother Nash saluted in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick aboard Hana’s Goal.
May’s Dream, which was $3.20-favourite, has previously been placed in a Group 1, finishing second to the Darley star Guelph in last year’s 1000 Guineas at Caulfield.
Mrs Patterson said May’s Dream would now be sent to the paddock for a spell in anticipation of an assault on the spring carnival.
“She hasn’t had a big prep,” she said.
“She’s got lots of options, she’s only a three-year-old so we’ll see how she fills out.”
She said trainer Darren Weir – who also trained She’s Archie – had a long association with the family.
The $255,620 first prize took the filly’s career prizemoney to more than $660,000 from her 11 starts.
