Short-priced favourite Sahara Siren has overcome adversity at the Sunshine Coast to earn herself a chance at the Queensland Oaks.
Sahara Siren ($1.30) was cruising at the back of the field when she blundered near the home turn in the Maiden Plate (1800m) on Wednesday.
Apprentice Sarah Eilbeck got the filly to find her feet again and they raced away in the straight to win by four lengths.
Trainer Alan Jones said Sahara Siren would head to the Group One Queensland Oaks on June 4.
“I know she only won a maiden today but at her previous start she earned black type when third behind Look To the Stars and Queen of Wands in the Princess Stakes,” Jones said.
“She had to overcome a tangle on the home turn but she showed she will handle a wet track. If we get mud in the Oaks who knows.”
Eilbeck was also aboard the winner of a two-horse race on Wednesday, the smallest field in a Queensland metropolitan event since Sir Kiddle won a walkover at Doomben in December 1987.
Wednesday’s field was originally 13 horses but the top 11 were scratched, leaving the two original outsiders as the only runners.
Winning trainer Trevor Miller, who trained in western Queensland before moving to Caloundra in the 1980s, said he had won some two-horse races in country areas.
“I also won a walkover at Quilpie (in western Queensland) but this is the first time down here,” he said.
“Anyway it is $12,000 for the owners so it is as good as winning a 20-horse race.”
