Racing: Oaks next on filly's agenda

Annie Higgins dashes clear of her rivals. Photo / Getty Images

Prolific owner-breeder Marie Leicester has added emotional weight attached to Annie Higgins' attempt on the New Zealand Oaks on Saturday week.

Leicester's impressive winner of the Mercedes-Benz Sunline Vase at Ellerslie yesterday is her last surviving descendant of her 1987 Filly of the Year Tri Belle.

Leicester lost her previous two connections, Annie Higgins' dam Diva Belle, a daughter of Carnegie, and three years earlier, Tri Belle's older Centaine daughter, Centri Belle, through tragic circumstances.

Before Diva Belle died, Leicester said she had been considering quitting her big Oaks chance at Trentham on March 19.

Although "weak out of the box" as a weanling, Leicester said the filly developed an "arrogant look" she thought best suited to the Karaka sales ring.

"We entered her in the sales but thought we would wait until the next O'Reilly foal dropped before deciding for certain," said Leicester.

"When I got a phone call to say we had lost the mare and her next foal, I said, 'Withdraw that filly from the sale right away.'

"I thought I had things covered, but I lost both mares very young so this filly is very special to me."

Matamata trainer Lance Noble, shooting for his first Oaks success with his second runner, is confident Annie Higgins can give Leicester's breeding stocks a boost in Trentham's group one feature.

After her gritty staying win yesterday over 2100m he knows she should at least cope with the extra 300m.

Stand-in rider Opie Bosson - Oaks pilot Michael Coleman was sidelined yesterday with a suspension - had to tap very ounce of Annie Higgins' staying blood on the dam's side.

Bosson was trapped wide early, but helped by a dawdling early pace.

"That was a tough win," said Noble.

"She didn't have it easy; she was three wide and still found a kick. That bodes well for the Oaks."

The fillies' classic will be the fourth clash between Annie Higgins and leading filly King's Rose in her past six starts.

So far, King's Rose has relegated Annie Higgins to fourth, second and third place consolation slots in the race for this season's Filly of the Year honours.

But Noble feels his O'Reilly filly could have the staying edge next time they meet.

"This win today proves she's a genuine stayer and King's Rose has been very brilliant.

"Who knows - but I'm looking forward to having a crack again."

Bosson, who will ride King's Rose at Trentham, said Annie Higgins was a genuine chance in the Oaks after yesterday's success, just her second in nine starts.

"I just gave her a few backhanders and she quickened up nicely."