PORT Stephens-owner three-year-old filly Oakfield Missile, the shortest-priced favourite at the meeting, toyed with her rivals to record the easiest win of the day at Saturday’s Newcastle race meeting.
The promising youngster was backed into $1.50 in the 1200-metre Maiden Plate, and after a scare at the start, the filly settled in the box seat behind the leaders.
Jockey Grant Buckley eased Oakfield Missile around the leaders at the top of the straight and she produced a devastating turn of foot.
At the winning post, Oakfield Missile was more than four lengths clear of runner-up Elementae, with Greenskeeper third.
Former Port Stephens mayor Bruce Mackenzie bred and races the three-year-old, which is trained by Damien Lane.
It was Oakfield Missile’s fourth race start and she put the writing on the wall at Newcastle two weeks earlier, when beaten a nose by the smart The Big Vin.
The trainer was absent on Saturday and his wife, Kate, saddled up the filly.
“The filly has always shown above-average talent and she has really come on in the past month,” she said. “She will get even better, as this is her first preparation.”
Stablemate Oakfield Captain ($19) finished second in the 1400m Class Two Handicap behind the Kris Lees-trained Moondancer ($5).
Lees made it a double with High Power ($4.80) in the last race, which took him to 166½ winners for the season.
