THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?
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date | Sat 04 May 2024 |
track | Morphettville |
distance | 2000m |
conditions | Three-Years-Old, Set Weights |
status | Group 1 |
prizemoney | $502,250 |
The Australasian Oaks is one of four Group 1 Oaks races in this country, sitting alongside the VRC Oaks at Flemington in November, the Australian Oaks at Randwick in April, and the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in June. It is the shortest of these four, at 2000m.
This particular Oaks does tend to be one of the weaker Group 1s on the Australian racing calendar, and it is rare that the winner goes onto reach any great heights. In most years it will attract a filly that has raced in the Sydney autumn carnival, but is mostly a mix of local hopes and a few second-tier Victorian types.
There are a few local lead-up races this year, that are providing key form – the Auraria Stakes, the Port Adelaide Guineas, and the Clare Lindop Stakes. The first two were not particularly strong races, and were won by horses that had everything work out perfectly in their favour.
The Lindop had a couple of promising fillies fighting out the finish, but the stronger of these, Party Princess, has since suffered a foot abscess. It’s not the sort of timing you like heading into a Group 1 race.
This year, it may well pay to look elsewhere for the winner, and in a year where there is no stand-out at all in a very even betting race, value may be the order of the day.
Arts is the only horse in this race from the Sydney autumn carnival. She won the Adrian Knox by a widening four lengths on a bog track at 2000m, but then wasn’t the same horse a week later in the ATC Oaks at 2400m when jumping equal favourite and battling into fifth.
Is Arts just a wet-tracker? Did she not stay 2400m and is suited back in distance here? Is she already at the end of her debut prep? There are a few questions to be answered, but she just might be better than them all.
She’s Fit is a Perth filly extending her preparation into a seventh start, off the back of interstate travel to boot. Trainer Daniel Morton is no dill though, Craig Williams is a key booking, and there’ll be no fitter horse in the race at 2000m given she is coming off three 2200m-2400m runs including a WA Oaks win.
Amati looks the blow-out hope at bigger odds, and not just because of the lethal Chris Waller and Mick Dee combination. She has had two forget runs either side of a Stakes placing to the very handy Papillon Club, and shouldn’t have any issue with 2000m. How many times have we seen Waller pop up with a forgotten horse in these races?
Selections: 1.Amati 2.She’s Fit 3. Party Princess 4.Arts
EACH-WAY
* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds
YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINERS |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Affaire A Suivre | John Allen | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
2022 | Glint of Hope | Daniel Moor | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
2021 | Media Award | Luke Nolen | Chris Calthorpe |
2020 | Toffee Tongue | Damien Thornton | Chris Waller |
2019 | Princess Jenni | Damien Oliver | David Brideoake |
2018 | Sopressa | Harry Coffey | Darren Weir |
2017 | Egg Tart | Kerrin McEvoy | Chris Waller |
2016 | Abbey Marie | Luke Nolen | Mick Kent |
2015 | Delicacy | Peter Hall | Grant Williams |
2014 | May's Dream | Brad Rawiller | Darren Weir |
2013 | Maybe Discreet | Dom Tourneur | Phillip Stokes |
2012 | Invest | Peter Mertens | Clarry Connors |
2011 | Lights Of Heaven | Luke Nolen | Peter Moody |
2010 | Small Minds | Dean Holland | John P Thompson |