Racing: Amarelinha in illustrious company after nerve-jangling win in the $400,000 New Zealand Oaks

Amarelinha comfortably holds Charms Spirit at bay as she wins the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. Photo / Race Images

Champion jockey Opie Bosson put Amarelinha in illustrious company after her nerve-jangling win in the $400,000 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.

The punters who took the short odds about the exciting filly were given heart palpitations twice in the classic before she ultimately ended the race as a contest with a brilliant burst at the top of the Trentham straight.

The drama began at the start when Amarelinha stunned Bosson by jumping upwards rather than forward when the gates opened, unbalancing Bosson and losing any chance of settling handy.

Bosson still elected to move forward but was trapped three wide in what could have been a disastrous position until somehow he found a gap and managed to get her one-off in midfield.

Carted into the race at the 600m, she was too quick for her rivals, remaining unbeaten against her own sex.

Bosson has ridden champion mares in Melody Belle, Avantage and Probabeel for Amarelinha's trainer Jamie Richards and says this filly has as much potential.

"They have all gone on to win those Group 1s as older horses and I know that isn't easy but this filly has that level of ability, too," said Bosson. "So it will be exciting to see how far she goes. She has a good horse's speed."

Amarelinha is the favourite for the now-delayed ATC Oaks which has moved to April 17 as the Sydney carnival goes back a week after heavy rain caused the postponement of the Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill.

Richards says the delay is of no concern to Amarelinha's Oaks prospects but the heavy tracks in Sydney may be.

"We are still keen on the Oaks but it could be a different story if the tracks remained very wet over there," said Richards. "So we will get her home and monitor things before making a decision."

Richards says the delay to the Sydney carnival would not effect most of the big names he is aiming at the carnival and could even open up some opportunities.

"We may even look at whether we nominate Melody Belle for the Ranvet next week now," the trainer said.

Richards earlier won the $100,000 Wellington Guineas with Need I Say More, so ended the day with 36 black-type winners for the season so far, further stretching into uncharted territory.

Need I Say More had to be good to win after racing outside the leader for the entire 1400m in the hands of the in-form Jonathan Parkes.

Parkes has already won the Karaka Million for Richards this summer, and last week, the Auckland Cup on Ocean Billy.

"It has been a great run lately and shows how quickly things can turn around in racing," said Parkes.

Earlier in the meeting. Coventina Bay left jockey Sam Collett with some thinking to do when she justified hot favouritism with a win in the Cuddle Stakes.

"She just makes my life easy, as the gas is always ready to go when you need it," she said. "I was mindful that there wasn't much pace in the race and that I was going to have to ride her closer than normal."

She now heads to the Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha on April 10, the same race being targeted for another outstanding mare Collett rides in Levante. While you would take short odds Collett will stick with Levante, she says she will talk to the connections of both mares before making any final decision.