With five wins and a second from seven starts to her name, Oh So Adorable is fast shaping as the latest feel-good story to come out of the city’s stables.

Queanbeyan trainer Garry Clarke picked up the three-year-old gelding for just $8000 after dad and co-owner Eric spotted the then 13-month old filly in the pets section of the Daily Telegraph.

“I was just reading the paper one day and saw this thoroughbred advertised in the middle of all the cats and dogs,” Eric Clarke told The Queanbeyan Age.

“I saw she was by Beautiful Crown and was very well bred so I rang the bloke up and the first thing I asked was ‘what’s wrong with her?’ He said ‘nothing’ but I thought there must be something going on.

“We went up and had a look at her and she was only little. She was fat too, and spoilt but you could tell straight away she was a good type.”

That initial encounter was enough to convince the father-son team that they may have just stumbled upon something special. And it wasn’t long before Oh So Adorable was on a float bound for Queanbeyan.

Since then, the elder Clarke’s early enthusiasm has proven more than justified.

A daughter of champion sire Beautiful Crown and 14-race winner Hurricane Stroller, Oh So Adorable has already claimed more than $85,000 in prize money and could be set for another hefty payday on Sunday.

Back in work five weeks since her last-start second at Canterbury, Garry Clarke said he was confident he had his stable star firing on all cylinders leading into the Camarena.  

“The way she’s going at the moment it’ll take a good one to beat her,” Clarke said. “She’s been working well and doing everything I’ve asked of her.

“She’ll never be the biggest horse in the world, but she’s grown about half a hand in the paddock this time as well and got a bit stronger too so hopefully that might give her another couple of lengths.”