By MICHAEL GUERIN
The toughest arch-rivalry contest of the harness racing season just got tougher for Dancingonmoonlight.
The Pukekohe filly has spent much of her season chasing champion filly Tupelo Rose home in races like the Great Northern and New Zealand Oaks, Sires Stakes Fillies Final and Hydroflow Fillies Final.
Clearly the second-best filly in Australasia, she has just one victory over Tupelo Rose to show for her epic season - the New South Wales Oaks.
And just when trainer Steven Reid is hoping to further address the imbalance, Dancingonmoonlight has been handed another horror assignment.
Reid heads to Brisbane on Friday for a Queensland Oaks campaign, starting with a prelude at Albion Park on Saturday night.
But not only does Dancingonmoonlight have to clash with Tupelo Rose again, but more than likely she will have to sit parked outside her to beat her.
"It was a bit disappointing there was only one prelude so we are up against Tupelo Rose straight off," said Reid.
"If we had drawn good and she had drawn bad then we could have beaten her but with her drawing better than us we are up against it."
Tupelo Rose will leave from barrier four in the 2138m prelude with Dancingonmoonlight directly outside her. As the field contains nothing remotely in the pair's class, Tupelo Rose is ideally placed to dictate the tactics.
While that sets her another unenviable task, Reid says his filly does have one advantage going into the clash.
"I think Tupelo Rose has been at her best in the past when she was backing up from a hard run," he said.
"When we beat her in the New South Wales Oaks she had not raced for three weeks."
Tupelo Rose has not raced since beating Dancingonmoonlight in the Hydroflow Final at Addington on May 12 and may be going into Saturday night's clash a little short of race fitness.
But Reid has no such concerns with Dancingonmoonlight, who was a gutsy second to Flight South in a strong fillies and mares race at Alexandra Park last Friday night.
"I had my reservations about starting her in that race but now I am glad I did," he said.
"She really needed that run and hopefully that will stand her in good stead on Saturday night."
The prelude will continue the dream season for junior driver Scott Wallis, who will partner Dancingonmoonlight.
The youngster has matured into one of the north's best junior reinsman this season, winning the Noel Taylor Series and achieving the highlight of his career by piloting Kawarau Invasion in the $A500,000 Interdominion Trotting Final in February.
"Scotty will take her across to Brisbane on Friday and stay with her until I take over next week."
After the prelude and the Oaks the following Saturday, Dancingonmoonlight could take on the colts in the Queensland Derby.
"The first four home in the New South Wales Derby won't be going to Brisbane and it could be a good race to take on the colts," said Reid.
"The early favourite is Aquagold and he will race at Albion Park on Saturday night so I will get Scotty to have a look at him and see what we think after that."
If Dancingonmoonlight does bypass the Derby she is likely to stay in Queensland for the Redcliffe and Gold Coast Oaks.
* * *
Ouch is the latest addition to Mark Purdon's string of stars.
The exciting 5-year-old has joined the Purdon barn after his sale to the United States-based owners who earlier this season purchased Tupelo Rose. The same partnership will also stand Presidential Ball in New Zealand next season.
Ouch left trainer Geoff Small's care 10 days ago and will be spelled for another two weeks before starting his new career.
The son of In The Pocket disappointed at the crucial stages of this season but provided the best indication of his talent when coming from last to beat Holmes D G in the first Alexandra Park open class race of the season in September.
* * *
Lorraine Nolan is planning revenge with Yulestar.
The Hunter Cup winner returns to work this week and has thrilled trainer Lorraine Nolan with his development during a sixweek spell.
"He has added some muscle to those big legs and looks great," said Nolan.
Yulestar has not raced since finishing fourth in the Interdominion Grand Final on February 12 but was kept in work until Easter.
"He was very unsettled when he got back from Melbourne so we kept him going to stop him from getting too silly," said Nolan.
"We thought about an Easter Cup start but the handicap would have been too tough."
But Nolan says Yulestar will definitely be heading to Addington in November - looking for revenge.
The giant pacer was denied a start in last year's New Zealand Cup because he was only class eight, even though he would have started fourth or fifth favourite.
"I think that was pretty silly to have a horse like him not in the race. But we will be in it this year."
While Yulestar, who was trained for the early part of last season in Cambridge, will be based in Hawera this season, Hunter Cup winning reinsman Tony Shaw will retain the drive.
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