Stepping stone for main event

NEXT month’s South East Oaks shapes as an acid test for lightly-raced youngster Mullum Flo.

Hopeful Mullum Flo can be competitive against the best of her crop, connections are considering utilising the Group Three as a stepping stone to the main event.

Should Mullum Flo perform to expectations in the July 17 feature she will then be aimed at the Queensland Oaks the following week according to regular driver Angus Garrard.

Mullum Flo is trained by Garrard’s father, Darren.

“She shows plenty of potential,” Garrard said. “She’s only had four starts and is still learning, but what she has shown so far suggests she can be competitive as she goes up in grade.

“The South East Oaks shapes as a good race for her to see where she is at.

“If she does well enough in that there is the main Oaks a week later.”

Mullum Flo gave an indication of her ability with a victory against older rivals at Albion Park yesterday.

After breaking stride at the start, Mullum Flo was restrained to the tail of the field as Bettor Watch Him and then Fairiesdelight set the pace.

Weaved through traffic around the final bend, the daughter of Western Terror sprinted quickly to score by a metre-and-a-half from Ideal Investment.

Captains Pick was 10 metres away third in 1:56.9 over 2138 metres.

“Except for her behaviour at the start she was terrific,” Garrard said. “Once settled she was fine and I was very happy with the way she finished it off when I asked her to go.”

Mullum Flo’s success was the closing leg of a double for the Garrards, who were also triumphant with Couldntmisafalcon.

The son of Falcon Seelster rated 1:56.3 over 1660 metres as Happy Publicans and Kwasii filled the placings.