FEATURE PREVIEWS: VRC OAKS

Track: Flemington | Distance: 2500m | Condition: 3YOF SW | Rail Position: +5m | Current Condition: Good 4 | Predicted Condition: Good 4 | Prizemoney: $1,000,000

Another time-honoured classic won in recent years by the likes of Zardozi, Samantha Miss, Faint Perfume, Mosheen, Dear Demi, Jameka & Personal.

• Barriers 1-5 (6/65), 6-10 (6/65), 11-15 (1/33)
• Days since last start: 5 days (8/80), 12 days (3/17), 19 days (2/42), Other (0/24)
• Gear Change (1/32)
• Career Starts 2-4 (1/35), 5-7 (4/80), 8-16 (8View Post/48)
• Career Wins 0-1 (3/102), 2-5 (10/61)
• Prep: 3^rd up (0/3), 4^th up (1/28), 5^th up (3/61), 6^th up (5/44), 7^th up (4/16), 8^th up+ (0/11)
• Flemington Starts 0 (3/38), 1 (4/72), 2 (2/35), 3+ (4/18)
• SP Rank 1-2 (9/26), 3-4 (3/26), 5+ (1/111)
• Exchange Dividend $1-$8 (12/42), $9+ (1/121)
• Tab No 1-2 (9/26)
• J Cummings (2/2), C Maher (2/4)
• Win% 40%+ (6/26)
• Flemington Wins 0 (4/135), 1+ (9/28)
• Last Start Favourite No (7/135), Yes (6/28)
• Performance last start: 1^st (7/39), 2^nd (2/23), 3^rd (1/20), 4^th (2/19), 5^th+ (1/62)
• Performance 2^nd last start 1-2 (12/65), 3+ (1/98)
• Last Start G1 (2/7), G2 (8/87), Other (3/69)
• Last Start 1600 (1/6), 2000 (11/135), 2400 (1/1), Other (0/21)
• CP 1-4 (11/52), 80+ (6/22), 60+ (12/67), SR1-3 (11/39), SR100+ (10/52), OHR1-2 (10/26), OHR 90+ (6/17), OHR 80+ (10/38), API1-3 (11/39), IR1-2 (11/26), IR$2-$6 (10/29), IR $2-$10 (12/47), PKD1 (4/13), PKD90+ (9/55), RVR1-5 (13/65), RVR70+ (12/44), L1 (6/13), L1-3 (9/36), W1 (5/13),W1-3 (9/39), LWD 3-5 (6/14),
• Most winners settle forward of midfield, and all were in the top 6 on the turn within striking distance.
• 3 have one in their first prep. Maher, J Cummings & Waterhouse.

Average tempo forecasted here.
Killcare Beachgirl should lead from Noises and Treasurethe Moment.
Gap to the next group of Too Darn Discreet, Harlem Queen, Hurry Curry & Power Of Opal having to try and slot in from out wider.
Invevitable Truth should get an economical run from the gate, while All Kinds Of Folk, Femminile and Placid Pearl have to deal with wide gates.
Rag Queen, Pleasure Artist & Talisay out the back, but all three could try settle handier from good gates.

1. Treasurethe Moment – Has won 3 in a row including the key Wakeful Stakes leadup. Wide gate a concern with only 1 winner in the past 12 years from outside barrier 10.
2. Too Darn Discreet – Has also won 3 in a row, the G2 Edward Manifold at this track before winning the Ethereal Stakes last start. That race has only produced 2 winners in the past 13 years from 42 runners.
3. Harlem Queen – Ran 2nd in the G1 Flight Stakes then 4th beaten 2L in the G1 Spring Champion. Blake Shinn aboard and has drawn well.
5. Powers Of Opal – Finished strongly for 2nd in the Wakeful Stakes last start. Has the right trainer/jockey combo to win an Oaks.
6. Pleasure Artist – Ran 2nd in the Dulcify then 5th beaten 2.3L in the G1 Spring Champion.
7. Talisay – Ran 3rd to the VRC Derby winner in the Listed Hill Smith Stakes, then was hitting the line hardest when 6th in the Wakeful beaten 7.4L.
11. Hurry Curry – Won at Flemington over 1800m then 5th in the G3 Ethereal Stakes. Was scratched at the barriers before the Wakeful.
12. Inevitable Truth – Has run on solidly for 4th in the G3 Ethereal Stakes and the G2 Wakeful. Fit and had the right grounding to win this race.
13. Placid Pearl – In first prep, up in grade and drawn wide, but did win well over 2200m at Scone last start in nice time.

5 – Powers Of Opal
12 – Inevitable Truth
7 – Talisay
3 – Harlem Queen

The Victorian Racing Club Oaks, also known as the ‘Kennedy Oaks’, is a premier Group 1 staying race for three-year-old fillies. The Kennedy Oaks is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on the Thursday after the illustrious Melbourne Cup during the VRC Spring Carnival. The race measures at just over 1.5 miles (2500 metres) and currently carries a prize pool of $1,000,000, with the winner receiving a cheque for $600,000, making it the equal-richest group of races in Australia for fillies.

Like the Thousand Guineas to the Caulfield Guineas, the Kennedy Oaks is the sister race to the Victoria Derby. It is traditionally known as ‘Ladies Day’ after the introduction of ‘Fashions on the Field’ in 1962. Notable past winners include Research (1988), Miss Finland (2006), Samantha Miss (2008) and Mosheen (2011). Ciaran Maher trained back-to-back winners in 2014 and 2015 with Set Square and Jameka – the latter going on to win a Caulfield Cup the following year. If you’re a punter wanting to boost your betting education, head to the Betfair Hub and check out our experts Kennedy Oaks tips that so many other smart punters rely on.  

Fast Facts:

• Trainer Bart Cummings has won the race nine times and jockey’s Bobby Lewis and Damien Oliver have each won it seven times. 
• No horse has ever won the race multiple times. 
• The first Oaks day race was held in 1861 and was won by a horse called Palestine, making it as old as the Melbourne Cup.
• The race originally held Principal Status until it was upgraded to a Group 1 in 1979.
• Between 1861-1972 it competed over 2400m before being extended to 2500m in 1973.
• In 2016 Lasqueti Spirit won in impressive fashion, leading the entire race and becoming the highest odds winner in history at $101.

For the biggest age restricted staying filly race in the Spring Carnival calendar you can rely on Betfair to provide in-depth previews, betting tips and best bets. Betfair’s racing experts deliver Oaks Day tips for each race across the card, as well as extensive analysis, selections and strategies for the main group 1. With 16 runners in the lineup, it can be tricky deciding on a betting proposition, that’s why Betfair offers Kennedy Oaks tips that’ll point you in the right direction. Make sure to head straight to the Betfair Hub to check out the latest Oaks Day tips on offer today.