Good feeling for Lucky
A long-range plan for three-year-old filly I'm Feeling Lucky by breeder and owner Ted van Heemst could come to fruition in today's $100,000 Belmont Oaks (2000m).
Van Heemst mated I'm Feeling Lucky's dam, Twinkle Toes, with former leading WA stallion Bletchley Park with the intention of breeding a classic winner.
The Perth Racing chairman stood Bletchley Park at his Lynward Park Stud in Bullsbrook for eight seasons before he died from colic on the eve of the 2011 Magic Millions Perth yearling sale.
I'm Feeling Lucky is from the last crop of the Caerleon stallion, who is fourth on the WA sires' prize money list for the current season.
Van Heemst bought the Irish-bred Twinkle Toes from Coolmore Stud for $72,500 at the 2008 Sydney Easter broodmare sale.
Twinkle Toes boasts Dr Devious, a winner of the 1992 English Derby and runner-up in the Irish Derby as an odds-on favourite in her family, along with international Group winners Archway, Royal Court and Shinko King, who retired to stud and produced Group 1 winners in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
Bletchley Park, who was brought to WA by Graham and Christine Daws, sired WATC Derby winner Hot Jules and Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Classic winner Modem.
"The barriers have not been good to her and she has drawn wide again," van Heemst said. "I bought the mare in the hope of breeding a classic filly.
"The long-range plan has always been the Belmont Oaks.
"Bletchley Parks can win from 1200m to 2200m and bred to the right mare they can stay on a little."
I'm Feeling Lucky will jump from the extreme outside in 13.
Trainer Cliff Smith deviated from the usual three-year-old trail into the Oaks, with the filly breaking her maiden status over 1100m at Northam before winning over 1300m at Belmont in May.
I'm Feeling Lucky had two starts over 1600m at Northam and then returned to the city where she was caught wide when finishing fourth to Trade Down and the consistent Gladstone over 1600m a fortnight ago.
Gladstone broke a run of outs with his 1600m win at Belmont last Saturday.
Top jockey Shaun O'Donnell, who has won the Oaks on Rantorini (2012) and Vulnerable (1994), keeps the ride.
The Adam Durrant-trained filly Tick Tick Bloom swamped her rivals to win the Belmont Guineas (1600m) a fortnight ago.
She is a raging $1.65 favouritism on the TAB to give the Karnup horseman successive wins after Summah's Touch won the race last year.
I'm Feeling Lucky is a $10 chance.
"The barriers have not been good ... I bought the mare in the hope of breeding a classic filly."" *Ted van Heemst *
