More home feature race success for O’Sullivan

THERE are few things more that local trainer Dan O’Sullivan appreciates than a feature race win on his home deck.

After claiming the past two Ballarat Cups with Berkeley Square (2024-25), O’Sullivan helped himself to another big win on Good Friday with his classy mare Too Darn Discreet in the $100,000 Country Oaks (2000m).

The four-year-old Group 2-winning daughter of Too Darn Hot and Maybe Discreet overcame a disappointing effort in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes at Caulfield last month to grab the spoils in a thriller.

Ridden to perfection by Declan Bates, the she came from midfield at the 800m to put herself right in contention at the top straight.

A three-way battle emerged from the 200m, with the favourite Suntora on the outside and Too Darn Discreet doing their best to run down the frontrunner Jennilala on the inside, with the O’Sullivan-trained runner just getting her nose in front on the line.

It was shades of the previous week when champion mare Pride Of Jenni, racing in the same colours as Jennilala, was pipped on the post by the Ciaron Maher-trained Light Infantry Man in the Group 1 Australian Cup.

Unplaced in three previous starts this preparation and after her hiccup in the Sunline Stakes, O’Sullivan was delighted to see Too Darn Discreet rebound strongly at home.

“It’s really good and I’m really pleased for this filly to bounce back into the winner’s circle, she hasn’t been going bad,” O’Sullivan said.

“She was on the wrong part of the track and things just didn’t work out, last start, but her previous two runs have been good.

“She’s a Group 2 winner and we were taking on Group 1 horses in the race. It was a terrific race, and it just showed what she can do back out to 2000 metres.

“It was a quality race and the favourites fought it out down the straight.

“I always felt she was going to get there.

“When the horse (Suntora) got outside her, she can have a habit of laying in, but she seemed to go nice and straight today and was really strong.”

Ballarat-based Bates, who added to the local flavour, praised a courageous effort by Too Darn Discreet.

“She’s really tough, she’s really tough, and she had to be because Jennilala was tough too,” he said.

“At the top of the straight I thought I had her measure and my mare picked up quite well, but Jennilala really made me work for it.

“I thought I had it on the line, but after last week, I’m not too confident in photo finishes at the minute, so I was pretty happy to see I had won.

“It’s fantastic, I think it’s a good initiative, this series, and to win it on my home track is great.”

A huge day for the Ballarat Turf Club, which became the fifth club to host the annual Country Discovery race day in its traditional Good Friday slot, turned into a successful day for Ballarat trainers.

O’Sullivan aside, Ciaron Maher notched up a double, highlighted by Spywire’s emphatic all the way victory in the $300,000 Country Discovery (1100m), while Tony and Calvin McEvoy and Patrick Kearney took their turns in the winner’s circle after respective wins with Aqueduct and Cripps.