Mistress ready to claim her Oaks
Matt Markham - Raceform • November 20th, 2025 2:54 PM • 4 min read
Picking herself up after taking part in one of the quickest 1980-metre races ever held at Addington Raceway just seven days ago, Captains Mistress should enjoy the slightly less frenetic nature of the Gr.1 Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing Oaks on Friday night.
The Nathan Williamson-trained filly produced a hugely meritorious effort for sixth behind Got The Chocolates in last week’s $500,000 The Velocity slot race – not only for the fact that she was the only filly in the race, but also because it was her first run in four months.
She clocked the equal-fastest time ever recorded by a female pacer over the distance, giving Williamson and the filly’s owner, Mick Boots, plenty to be proud of.
“She was all out at the 400, but she never gave it up,” Williamson said.
“It’s pretty scary when you think about it, the time they ran. I think someone told me she was more than two seconds quicker than Celestial Sea when she won the Nevele R Fillies Final on Tuesday. That’s flying.”
With a $225,000 Group One race seven days after the hecticness of The Velocity, the past few days have all been about recovering and freshening Captains Mistress up for the challenge.
“She’s had a pretty quiet time of it. She’ll have a good bowl around on Wednesday, but I’m happy with how she’s bounced through the run. Obviously there were concerns given the time, but she seems really well and now we’ve just got to hope she brings her best this week.”
Arguably the best of a very good crop of fillies, Captains Mistress was handed a distinct advantage at barrier draw time when she landed the ace for the 2600-metre journey. That gives Williamson options, and he’s happy to see what unfolds instead of locking anything firm in place.
“I’m in the fortunate position that I’ve got a filly who is pretty adaptable. She can lead if we need her to, but she’s dangerous off the back of another runner too – especially over the longer distance – so it means we don’t have to commit to any particular plan.”
It would seem likely however that Williamson’s best option might be to stay in front for as long as possible, especially early, with some strong staying fillies likely to come knocking at some point – particularly Arafura and Duchess Of Kent, who have also drawn the front line.
“It’s a good crop, no hiding from that. They run pretty deep this year. But I’d like to think that with her A-game, our filly is the one they all need to beat this week, especially with the draw we’ve got to use.”
Captains Mistress is one of four runners Williamson has engaged on Friday night. Always Dreaming will take on the boys in the $300,000 Gr.1 Garrards New Zealand Pacing Derby and Dreams Are Free will step out in the $125,000 Gr.1 Christian Cullen Classic.
But the surprise packet might be Hidden Talent, who steps away from the big guns of trotting to a fillies and mares’ race, the $60,000 Gr.2 Continental Event Hire Grand Duchess.
“She gets her chance to get back to form this week. I’d put a line through Kaikoura, as she was striking the wheel discs, and then she got it wrong in the Dominion last week.
“I was pretty happy with her leading into the Dominion. Back against the fillies and mares this week, she has a chance if she gets the start right.”
Hidden Talent will start off the back mark of 20 metres in the 2600-metre trot.
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