Aaron Purcell became a Group I winner and has the new VRC Oaks favourite but surprisingly he did not rate Aloisia's Thousand Guineas romp as his biggest moment in racing.
The former Kiwi filly zoomed from a $7 Oaks chance into $4 favourite after her 1¼ length romp over 1600m at Caulfield with her suspended trainer Ciaron Maher excitedly jumping up and down as he watched on.
Maher developed Aloisia before he was suspended for six months and fined $75,000 after pleading guilty to charges stemming from Peter Foster's ownership of five horses in his stables.
But it is Warrnambool trainer Purcell who now has the care of Maher's horses and who claimed the spoils of Aloisia's win as he soared into racing's Group I club.
It is onwards and upwards to the VRC Oaks for Aloisia but Purcell, incredibly, did not rate becoming a Group I winning trainer as his biggest career thrill.
That place in his heart is still kept by training 2008 Grand Annual Steeplechase winner Ginolad.
"There are a lot of Group 1s but there is only one Grand Annual," Purcell said.
"I've been around the traps a while but it is good to get a Group I.
"The last while (taking over Maher's stable) has been a whirlwind, a lot of these horses are new to me and I have only known them from afar.
"Ciaron has put a lot into Aloisia and he deserves a big pat on the back."
Luke Nolen rode a perfect race on Aloisia ($14) has he sat back off the speed and picked a perfect path along the inside to knock off second-placed Shoals ($4.40).
"I think the Oaks was the target this prep, so it's bloody awesome," he said.
Favourite Alizee ($2.15) ran on for third but never looked like getting close to Aloisia.
"She enjoyed a lovely run but just didn't have the ping today," Alizee's jockey Glynn Schofield said.
Purcell has his maiden Group I but there could more on the way soon and the Oaks over 2500m looks ideal.
"Everything she has done has been aimed towards the Oaks, and we've grabbed the Guineas on the way through," Purcell said.
"She has always been aimed towards the Oaks and we are definitely going to keep pushing on."
