The $1million Group I VRC Oaks (2500m) is the highlight at Flemington on Thursday and with all of the fillies on trial at the trip, pedigree can be a good indicator and in a field of 13 that features no G1 winners it’s a real year for the up and comers.
Last year the race proved to be the launching pad to stardom for Treasurethe Moment and this year we have a short priced favourite in Getta Good Feeling, who has yet to miss a place in six starts.
Click here to do your own homework with five generation pedigress for all Oaks runners.
1. Getta Good Feeling (So You Think (NZ) x Marquise Da Rossa, by Testa Rossa) Danny O'Brien / Mark Zahra (4)
Won G2 VRC Edward Manifold (1600m) and third in the G1 Thousand Guineas before easy winner on Saturday in G2 Wakeful (2000m) carrying a penalty.
By the late great So You Think, who is no stranger to siring Oaks winners and is a three-quarter sister to G3 winner Elliptical, who was second in a G1 Spring Champion Stakes. There is more speed than stamina in this female family which is best known for producing Golden Slipper winner Marauding, but Geelong Derby Trial winner Mithrandir is on the page and the reality is class will carry this filly a very long way.
2. The Pearls (NZ) (Proisir x The Pearler (NZ), by Volksraad (GB)) Chris Waller / James McDonald (12)
Won 1500m maiden at Hawkesbury and then good efforts for second in G3 ATC Gloaming Stakes(1800m) and third in G1 ATC Spring Champion (2000m), both races against colts.
As you would guess from The Name she is from The Family in New Zealand that has produced countless winners that are all The Something or Other and notably include the 1993 Cox Plate winner The Phantom Chance.
She is a half-sister to The Lustre, who won at 2000m and was placed in the G1 NZ Thousand Guineas and is from SW The Pearler, who was also a SW up to 2000m. Proisir is overdue for a new G1 winner and she could be it.
3. Spicy Lu (Tagaloa x All Salsa, by Charge Forward) Nick Olive / Nash Rawiller (7)
Stakes-winner at two winning Listed ATC Fernhill Mile (1600m) and then hit top form last start winning G3 MRC Ethereal (2000m)
From first crop of Japanese bred G1 Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa and while his race record says sprinter, Tagaloa doesn’t look that way in type as he is quite leggy and athletic with many of his offspring appearing similar.
Dam was a sprinter by a sprinting sire in Charge Forward, but going back it’s all high class European staying blood with fourth dam Salsabil, a Champion 3YO that won an Epsom Oaks and Irish Derby. Got to be optimistic about getting the trip.
4. Just A Journey (Justify (USA) x Caravan, by Snitzel) Michael Freedman / Damian Lane (10)
Only missed a place once in eight starts and never worse than first or second in every run this prep with last start second in G3 MRC Ethereal (2000m) following a second in G2 VRC Edward Manifold (1600m).
By outstanding Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winning sire Justify, who had Arcora run second in VRC Derby on Saturday. Dam is a placed sister to G1 winning sprinter Wild Ruler and also G3 winning filly Pavitra, who was also by a Kentucky Derby winner in American Pharoah and she ran second in the VRC Oaks. Hard not see her in the finish.
5. Ethereum Girl (Maurice (JPN) x Moonchild, by Charge Forward) Ben, Will and JD Hayes / Jamie Melham (3)
Won G3 SA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at two and has been midfield last two runs in G1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and G2 Wakeful (2000m).
By Maurice, who has sired dual Derby winner Hitotsu and is a half-sister to Dream of the Moon, a SW at 1600m, although there is a lot of speed in this female family with first three dams by Charge Forward, Redoute’s Choice and Rory’s Jester. That said if you go back a bit further it’s the family of Australian Horse of the Year Northerly, so if she can channel a bit of his resolve, she might run better than form suggests.
6. Sheeza Diva (Pierro x Dizzy Diva, by Starspangledbanner) M and D Kearney / Rachel King (11)
Has had more racing than any other runner with 11 starts producing one win in a Hawkesbury maiden over 1300m, but she was a late closing fourth in the G3 Gloaming and then got keen last start when eighth in G1 ATC Spring Champion (2000m), but blinkers come off for this race.
Sheeza Diva is bred for an Oaks being by Pierro from a placed daughter of Dizlago, who won a G3 Ethereal Stakes at 2000m and third dam Dizelle won the G1 Australian Oaks and is the dam of VRC Oaks winner Pinot, who is by Pierro. Big tick on pedigree with a 4 x 4 double cross of Zabeel, but will take a leap of faith to win.
7. Strictly Business (Grunt (NZ) x Tivoli Lass, by Uncle Mo (USA)) Thomas Carberry / John Allen (13)
Rapid improver who won a Ballarat maiden over 1400m at her second start and then straight into the G2 Wakeful (2000m) for a late closing second.
By top class miler Grunt, who comes from an elite Kiwi female family and this girl is a half-sister to Kicking King, who was second in the Tasmanian Derby. Goes back to the family of Caulfield Cup winner Affinity and also this year’s Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy as well as Shamexpress, the sire of Ka Ying Rising. Has a 4 x 4 double cross of champion sire Zabeel that is going to be a big positive at the end of 2500m.
8. After Summer (The Autumn Sun x Al Jasrah (IRE), by Shirocco (GER)) Dominic Sutton / Billy Egan (2)
Broke her maiden winning VRC Oaks Preview (1800m) in farcical slowly run race, but then showed real promise with good third in G3 MRC Ethereal Stakes (2000m).
By proven classic sire The Autumn Sun and is a half-sister to tough stakes-placed stayer Calling the Wind from an elite Euro female family packed with Black Type horses including first time G1 winner Hartnell, who was placed in a Melbourne Cup. Oaks pedigree no question.
9. Zouclaire (Zousain x Dame Claire (NZ), by Danehill Dancer (IRE)) Ciaron Maher / Ethan Brown (1)
Six start maiden that was last start fifth in G3 MRC Ethereal (2000m).
By speed sire Zousain and is a three-quarter sister to sprinting stakes-winner Zou Sensation, but there is a bit more to this story as dam Dame Claire, won the Listed VRC Andrew Ramsden at 3200m and female family goes back to elite Euro staying blood. That said, I still can’t see Zousain siring an Oaks winner.
10. Voting Rights (Snitzel x Susan B Anthony (IRE), by Galileo (IRE)) G and A Waterhouse and Bott / Jordan Childs (5)
Maiden winner at Ballarat over 1600m and then last start third in G2 VRC Wakeful (2000m).
By champion sire Snitzel, who has never sired an Oaks or Derby winner in Australia. From a placed imported daughter of legendary sire Galileo that is a full sister to Champion Miler Rip Van Winkle. Pedigree does not say long distance stayer.
11. Morisu Ojo (Maurice (JPN) x Fill The Page, by Dane Shadow) Ciaron Maher / Craig Williams (8)
Maiden winner at Hamilton over 1600m and midfield past two runs in Listed VRC Super Impose (1800m) and G3 MRC Ethereal (2000m).
Second runner for Maurice and is a half-sister to G3 winning stayer Fun Fact from Listed Canberra Cup winner Fill the Page. Pedigree not the problem, but form is.
12. Classic Gem (Maurice (JPN) x Lankan Gold, by Dundeel (NZ)) Wendy Kelly / Ben Allen (9)
Five start maiden that was third in VRC Oaks Preview (1800m) and fourth in G3 Ethereal (2000m).
Third runner in the race for Maurice and is from an unraced daughter of classic sire Dundeel from one of the great female families tracing back to blue hen My Tricia. It’s an elite and very versatile family that has produced champions like Lonhro and Lankan Rupee as well as Classic winners like Tavago, Mahaya and Grosvenor. Has a 4 x 4 double cross of Sadler’s Wells which is a plus and pedigree does say Oaks, so bred to be in the finish if you like her.
13. Janey Bopper (Finn McCool (IRE) x Jane's Angel, by Smart Missile) Andrew Bobbin / Harry Coffey (6)
Three start maiden and last start third in Warrnambool 2000m maiden.
Dam Jane’s Angel won up to 2100m and comes from the family of Kiwi G2 winner Pulcinella, who won up to 1600m. One of only four runners by an imported stakes-placed son of Galileo in Finn McCool, who won up to 2000m. He is yet to sire a winner… and is unlikely to start on Thursday.
Now if you had said to anybody at the start of this racing season that the Caulfield / Melbourne Cup double would be won by a horse sired by a virtually unknown stallion called St Jean (IRE), you may have been accused of early onset dementia.. and while that seemingly far fetched and unlikely scenario has in fact come to pass, Finn McCool siring the Oaks winner??? surely not!
Selections
1/ Getta Good Feeling
2/ Spicy Lu
3/ After Summer
4/ Just a Journey
Roughie
Sheeza Diva
