Treasurethe Moment Wins G1 Australian Oaks

Tara Madgwick - Saturday April 12

A small field and a slowly run race made the red hot favourite Treasurethe Moment vulnerable in the $1million Group I ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, but the gifted daughter of Alabama Express called on her champion qualities to overcome difficulty to win.

Treasurethe Moment wins her second Oaks at Randwick - image Bradley Photography

A homebred for Yulong trained by Matt Laurie, Treasurethe Moment won the Group I VRC Oaks last spring and added a second G1 victory to her resume last start when taking out the ATC Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill.

With Damian Lane in the saddle again, Treasurethe Moment settled off the pace set by the Joseph and Jones trained roughie Sun ‘n’ Sand, who was allowed to saunter along unchallenged in the lead for much of the trip.

The Pride of Dubai filly gave a great kick and made Treasurethe Moment work hard to earn her third G1 victory this season as she got the upper hand at the finish to win by half a length.

Matt Laurie was a relieved man after the win, his second of The Championships having won the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes last week with I Am Invincible colt Vinrock.

“The last month has been unbelievable… you have a plan, but you don’t expect things to go the way you dream. To have it work out the way it has for us is just unbelievable,” said Laurie.

“We had four races mapped out for her to win and to do it, is just amazing. She's got an incredible heart, so it's a great story.

“I mean, I don't know many that have gone right through from winning the Wakeful (G2) to winning today, but I guess there wouldn’t be too many of them.

Advertisement

“I'm not sure whether we'll be coming to this sort of distance range anytime soon.”

Treasurethe Moment has the overall record of nine wins and two seconds from 11 starts with prizemoney of $2.5million.

Treasurethe Moment is a two time Oaks queen - image Bradly Photography

She is the best of two winners from Street Cry import Draconic Treasure (USA), who died in 2022 after producing just three foals for Yulong and the other two are also fillies, so there is a little bit of this family to go on with.

Draconic Treasure comes from an international family that has produced some notable horses including Group I winning sprinter Rich Tapestry and also Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle, so there is some real diversity on the page!

The first foal from Draconic Treasure is a Frankel filly called Kind Treasure that retired to Yulong unraced and produced a filly by Grunt last spring before visiting Alabama Express.

The second is the now four year-old Grunt mare Mihoko Takeo, who was bought by Tasmanian trainer Adam Trinder from Yulong at Inglis Premier in 2022 for $45,000 and ran with modest success for stable client Wayne Roser winning two of 14 starts.  Her current stable return shows her in training with Bathurst trained Dean Mirfin in new ownership, but you can’t help thinking her real future will be at stud!

Advertisment

Race Result - Asahi Super Dry Australian Oaks Gr1 2400m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 2:33.27
1
Treasurethe Moment
- 3f Alabama Express (AUS) x Draconic Treasure (USA) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: Damian Lane 56
2
0.4
Sun 'N' Sand
- 3f Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x She's A Rainbow (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: B Joseph & P & M Jones Rdr: A B Collett 56
Pride Of Dubai
3
0.8
You Wahng
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Wahng Wah (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Craig Williams 56
So You Think
4
1
Leica Lucy
- 3f Derryn (AUS) x Dynamite Lucy (NZ) (Sir Percy (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
5
2.7
Belle Detelle
- 3f Zed (NZ) x Black Lace (NZ) (Towkay (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 56
6
3
Verona Rose
- 3f Castelvecchio (AUS) x Minamya (FR) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
7
4.1
Ella Hazel
- 3f Dundeel (NZ) x Maid Of Heaven (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Litt Rdr: J Parr 56
8
8.4
Dubai Goldrush
- 3f Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x World Of Gold (IRE) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Ms P Gerard Rdr: M Zahra 56
9
18.9
Matrimonial
- 3f Justify (USA) x Forbetterforworse (AUS) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: C Schofield 56
More Reading...
One To Watch - Geelong
An exciting start to the day at Geelong for Yulong as the 2-year-old Alabama Express filly Treasurethe Moment romped to victory in the Rex Gorell Volkswagen Maiden Plate (1312m) shortly after the Written Tycoon colt Earth God broke his maiden in style.
Victorian Breeders Celebrate Annual Awards Night
The 2025 Victorian Breeding Awards has once again showcased the outstanding achievements within Victoria’s thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.
Treasurethe Moment's Brilliant Return
VRC Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment returned in stunning form with an easy win first-up in the Group II Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday, the first of a four start Australian Oaks tilt.
Inglis Digital Bargain Buys Deliver Kosciuszko Dreamers
Sunshine Law was not the only Inglis Digital success story to come out of the Rosehill meeting on Saturday with two contenders for this year’s $2million Kosciuszko also giving connections cause to dream big and one of them is an unbeaten mare with a Black Type pedigree.
Per Incanto Mare Wins $100,000 Polytrack Championship
Synthetic flyer Cosentino silenced any doubt about running out the seven furlongs with a blistering performance to claim Sunday’s $100,000 Japac Homes Polytrack Championship (1400m) at Awapuni.
Bred to Win Returns on Monday night
Caroline Searcy’s Bred To Win returns this Monday night profiling new and proven stallions heading into the Spring of 2025 and promoting the thoroughbred breeding industry in Australia and around the world.
Treasurethe Moment Ticks Sydney Box with G1 Vinery Victory
Yulong spend a fortune buying high class race mares from all over the world, but undoubtedly have produced one themselves in the shape of Alabama Express filly Treasurethe Moment, who won her seventh consecutive race at Rosehill on Tuesday when taking out the $750,000 Group I ATC Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
VRC Oaks Success for Treasurethe Moment - First G1 Winner Alabama Express
Yulong’s Treasurethe Moment stamped herself the benchmark for 3-year-old fillies with a dominant win in the $1,000,000 Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on Thursday to become the 39th filly to win the Wakeful Stakes – Oaks double.
The Novelist Returns to Form
The very first stakes-winner for his sire Written By when winning the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes in December 2022, The Novelist made light of the heavy 10 track at Rosehill on Saturday to claim another victory.
Too Darn Hot Mare Claims Third G1
Too Darn Hot (GB) will be a returning superstar to Darley NSW this spring and there is no doubt he can get an exceptional horse with Fallen Angel capturing her third Group I in France on Sunday when taking out the G1 Prix Rothschild (1m) at Deauville.