Racing: Foreal way too good for Great Northern Oaks

Rival trainers are already conceding defeat to Foreal in the upcoming $100,000 Great Northern Oaks at Alexandra Park.

Foreal confirmed her domination of New Zealand's three-year-old fillies when scoring an effortless victory in the $90,000 IRT Sires Stakes Fillies Championship at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The Tim Butt-trained superstar did a stack of work to secure an on-the-pace position in the 1700 metre event, racing three wide then sitting parked outside the leader.

Foreal was travelling effortlessly outside the pace setting Life Of Luxury and powered away from the opposition in the home stretch to win by four lengths over the fast closing Miss Bubbles.

A further neck away in third position was Robyn Blue.

The 1700 metres was covered in 2.04.1 (mile rate 1.57.4) with closing 800 metre and 400 metre sectionals of 58.2 seconds and 29.1 seconds.

Foreal was made to do plenty of work to secure the victory but was clearly a class above her age group rivals.

This completed back to back wins in a three race series for the three-year-old fillies held at Alexandra Park during the Auckland Cup Carnival.

The first two wins in this series were in Group Two events and the third leg of this series at Alexandra Park on December 27 will be in the Group One 2700 metre Great Northern Oaks.

Butt has been impressed by the rapid development shown in each race outing Foreal has had this season.

"She was a little underdone in her first two starts this season and was a bit vulnerable to defeat but won both of those races," said Butt.

"That for me is the mark of a real high class filly and over the past two weeks she has really come into her own, hitting peak form.

"Her effort to win on Friday night was very impressive because she did a lot of work to go around the field to gain a sit outside the leader. And then she really knuckled down to it in the home straight.

"She has gate speed and can make her own luck during a race and that makes her a very unique filly.

"I know Ants [regular driver Anthony Butt] was really happy with her run to win on Friday because they were running along in front early on and she was trapped three wide."

Foreal is clearly a well-balanced equine athlete with faultless racing manners and this is backed up by an impressive racing record of eight wins and one minor placing from 10 starts.

The Auckland Trotting Club will announce at a media function on Tuesday the major sponsor of the $750,000 Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final at Alexandra Park in March.

This two-week series will draw all the leading Free-For-All pacers in Australasia together to chase the huge stake money on offer.

It is believed that a major North American-based owner will become involved in sponsoring Australasia's premier harness racing series.