Racing: After five years, Spratt returns to scene of crash

A lot will go through the mind of Sam Spratt as she takes Jesda Jabra to the start for racing at Trentham today.

Five years ago she took Dragon Tiger to the same 1200m barrier in an almost identical 3-year-old event and came very close to losing her life.

Dragon Tiger took fright soon after the start, crashed through the inside rail and flipped upside down. Spratt suffered severe head injuries that looked at best likely to leave her with some disability and that she is now back riding is miraculous.

This will be Spratt's first ride at Trentham since. "I'm a Wellington girl so I had to come back here eventually."

OAKS TARGET

Traditionally Thames middle distance maiden races have been a hot breeding ground for producing New Zealand Oaks winners at Trentham. That was all about timing because previously it was for fillies emerging in early January and running in the Oaks in late January.

Dave O'Sullivan and Jim Gibbs made it a speciality.

Now the Oaks has moved to March it's not as significant, but yesterday's Thames maiden 1700m winner Calatrava is going to try to keep the tradition going.

The Moroney stable has always held her in high regard and Calatrava's performance showed that was justified.

The Desert Prince filly was shunted out to the middle of the track on the home turn but was still able to balance up and sprint past the leaders in the short run to the winning post for rider Thomas Russell.

It was the performance of a horse heading places.