Crazy Cool In Race Against Time For Oaks Tilt

STAND-in trainer Rob Tyler has no doubt star Queensland bitch Crazy Cool is right up to winning the Group 2 Richmond Oaks (535m) which gets underway this Friday night.

For Tyler, the far more pressing question is whether the Group 3 Golden Ticket winner will take her place in the series at all.

"She got knocked around at The Meadows on Saturday night and is still a bit sick and sorry – I'll decide late Thursday whether she goes around," Tyler said.

"But I'm giving her every chance. We've been working on her day and night and she is responding like you'd hope."

Winner at nine of her 25 starts, Crazy Cool flew to Sydney on Monday after finishing last in a heat of the Australian Cup at The Meadows last Saturday when favourite.

The daughter of Barcia Bale's Victorian campaign was decided after finishing a mighty second to Shima Shine in the Group 1 Gold Bullion (520m) at Albion Park earlier this month for owner and usual trainer Bob Jacobsen.

"Bob sent me Rowdy Roddy for the National Derby last month and we were lucky enough to finish third in the final," Tyler said.

"I told him at the time Crazy Cool would love Richmond and I'd be surprised if she didn't run 30.30 around there. Whether that can happen on Friday night is another story."

FIELDS AND FORM FOR RICHMOND FRIDAY NIGHT

Friday night's Richmond Oaks series will be Crazy Cool's fifth at group race level.

Loaded with ability, she's previously finished second in the Group 2 Queensland Futurity, third in the Group 3 Golden Sands, runner-up in the Group 1 Gold Bullion while proving victorious in the Group 3 Golden Ticket.

Bookmaker Neds have her $4 second favourite for the second heat of Friday night's Oaks with favouritism held by Fire On Ice at $2.5.

In heat two of the Richmond Derby, Tyler is represented by Rowdy Roddy, the National Derby placegetter drawing directly inside pre-post series elect Wow. 

"Rowdy Roddy is flying but running into Wow is probably the biggest test in racing at the moment," Tyler said.

"We are praying for a lot of luck. And that might not even be enough!"

Friday night's Richmond card sees some of the sport's biggest stars lining up in the two $40,000-to-the-winner series.

Surprisingly though, heat prizemoney on Friday night is just standard provincial money.

"It doesn't make sense to me that dogs of that caliber are racing for the same money as the 300m and 400m races on the same night," Tyler said.

"Especially after the news last week of additional money being pumped into 500m racing."