This Saturday's Queensland Oaks will decide the short-term future for Nek Time who made history for her trainers on Saturday night.
The Southland Oaks winner added another feature victory to her honour roll when she
led most of the way in the
hands of Dexter Dunn to win the Gold Coast Oaks at Albion Park on Saturday, giving Leeston trainers Terry and Glenys Chmiel their first Australian victory.
Terry Chmiel, who is with the 3yr-old filly at Ian Gurney's stable just south of Brisbane, said Nek Time had shown no signs of tiredness following her 1.56.6 mile rate win over 2138m.
"She seems bright - I'm just taking her out for a jog now,'' Chmiel said by phone yesterday.
"She seems to have come through that run well and hopefully we get a good
draw.''
Her barrier draw fate for Saturday night's group 1 Queensland Oaks will be known at 8pm tonight, and Chmiel knows the $75,000 affair will be a greater challenge than her win against fair opposition on Saturday.
"There will be a few better ones in next weekend.''
Chmiel will not overtax his stable star this week, with light duties between today and Saturday.
"She's having a quiet week - we're just going to keep her ticking over,'' he said.
"That run should tighten her up a little bit. All things
equal, she should be going in a wee bit better.''
A look at the $75,000 Queensland Derby one week later is not out of the question, although Nek Time's performance will be the ultimate decider.
"It depends how she goes this week whether we have a crack next week or just go home. She will tell us.''
Nek Time will just be happy to be away from the trio of brilliant fillies from the All Stars Stables. Golden Goddess, Dream About Me and Piccadilly Princess have created an impenetrable barrier for Nek Time in seeking success at the top level during the May features at Addington and the Harness Jewels at Cambridge last month.
However, she did get the better of the trio's stablemate, MacKenzie, in April's Southland Oaks, giving the
Chmiels their first group victory after Nek Time's listed win in the Harness 5000 in February.
Meanwhile, Waikiki Beach's unbeaten run should continue at Menangle tonight.
The winner of all 19 of his starts has drawn barrier 1 under the preferential barrier draw conditions of a c5 and faster mile at 7.17pm.
Former Kiwi open-class pacer Four Starzzz Flash is among his rivals in the race, which is very much a consolation prize after missing the Breeders Challenge series last month due to a nominations mix-up.
