Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Smart filly Soho Seraphine has arrived in Western Australia on a mission to win the $150,000 WA Oaks on Friday fortnight.
Soho Seraphine, bred and owned by West Australian Rob Watson, has raced 23 times for seven wins, eight seconds and five thirds for stakes of $179,378.
She finished second to Windy Hill Tara in the New South Wales Oaks at Menangle in February after winning a qualifying heat by a head from that filly. Soho Seraphine began from the back line and raced in the one-out and one-back position for much of the way when a fighting fourth behind Sahara Breeze in the Vicbred Super Series final at Melton last Saturday night when the winner rated 1.53.6 over 2240m, with final quarters of 28.4sec., 27.1sec. and 28.1sec.
A week earlier Soho Seraphine started from the back line, settled in eighth place, began a three-wide move at the 1200m to go to the breeze and fight on determinedly to finish second to Sweet Bella in a semi-final of the Vicbred feature event.
She began very fast from barrier seven and then trailed the pacemaker Elysian Jay before taking the lead in the final 20m and winning a qualifying heat at Ballarat three starts ago.