A classy list of 120 three-year-old fillies have been included in nominations for the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Day 2 of The Championships, highlighted by the inclusion of several previous winners at the highest level of Australian racing.
Breaking through for a maiden Group 1 victory in just her fourth career start in 2014, trainer Ciaron Maher has included Set Square in 2015 Australian Oaks nominations.
Placing a credible third in a minor over 1354m on debut at Donald on September 16th, Set Square broke through for a maiden victory in a Ballarat maiden event over a mile on October 8th before making a successful transition to black type racing in winning the Listed Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on October 18th.
Jumping from the gates well in the featured Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) on November 6th, the Reset filly settled in good position on the fence, but was unlucky to be checked at the 1800m mark.
Pressing forward rounding onto the final straight at Flemington, Set Square displayed an exceptional turn of foot late to hit the line close to two lengths in the clear of closest rival and fellow 2015 Australian Oaks nominee Thunder Lady.
Trained by John Sargent, Thunder Lady stamped her claims as a serious racing contender over the 2014 Spring Carnival and has reportedly taken well to her time in the paddock over summer.
Securing minor place finishes in maiden country events through September, Thunder Lady was unlucky to be blocked for a run and fifth in the Listed Dulcify Quality (1600m) on October 4th, but responded well in finishing third in the Newcastle Handicap Maiden (1850m) on October 18th and winning the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) in her only other start prior to the Crown Oaks.
Talented filly First Seal was a standout performer for John Thompson over spring, and will be aiming to deliver the Randwick trainer further success at the highest level this season having also been included in 2015 Australian Oaks nominations.
Finishing outside the top three just once over six competitive starts, First Seal posted an impressive first-up victory in the Daily Press Group Plate (1100m) upon returning to racing in spring; running second to Sweynesse in a Rosehill minor over 1400m on August 30th before taking out the Group 3 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) in a commanding display on September 20th.
Charging home to win the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) despite overracing early a fortnight later, the Fastnet Rock filly was unable to match the late pace of Hampton Court when second in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) last time out on October 11th, but displayed a keen ability to perform over the distance.
Kiwi filly Rising Romance won the 2014 edition of the Australian Oaks in impressive fashion, while countryman Lucia Valentina boxed on late to finish a credible third.
New Zealand is poised to be offered several good chances of defending their crown this year, with the likes of Mary Quant and Eyes Of Love included in nominations.
Securing several impressive results over the early stages of her maiden preparation, Mary Quant appeared to be fading in form when finishing sixth in the New Zealand Herald Maiden (1600m) on December 28th, but reassured her chances of a trip to Australia over the weekend when attacking to line to win the Wexford Stables Maiden (2000m) by a comfortable length.
Saddled by the training partnership of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who have most recently claimed success in Australia via classy short distance specialist El Roca, Eyes Of Love ran an impressive second in the Turf Bar Maiden (1400m) on debut in January; repeating the dose in the Farmer Autovilliage Maiden (1600m) at Tauranga on February 5th.
Ladbrokes Australia currently rates First Seal a $5 favourite for success in the 2015 Australian Oaks, ahead of Set Square ($6) and the Chris Waller-trained Winx ($7).
2015 Australian Oaks Nominations
# | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Benchmark |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 611x | ADRIFT (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | 67 |
2 | 09x883x | ALL KOOL | Diane Poidevin-Laine | N/A |
3 | 316x3221x | AMICUS | Chris Waller | 101 |
4 | 218x | ARIANNE (NZ) | Pat Hyland | N/A |
5 | 8x12x | BABY DON’T CRY | Peter Morgan & Craig Widdison | N/A |
6 | 521x | BALLET SUITE | Chris Waller | N/A |
7 | 4x12x | BAYOONAH | Mick Price | N/A |
8 | 12x4x | BETSY | Peter G Moody | N/A |
9 | 41x | BILLIE FRECHETTE (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | N/A |
10 | 4x | BLACK VELVETEEN | Michael Kent | N/A |
11 | 1x | BOHEMIAN LILY (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
12 | 8x | BRONTE BABE | John Sargent | N/A |
13 | x931x2237x | CANDELARA | Bjorn Baker | 72 |
14 | 6x41369x | CAREER | John O’Shea | 59 |
15 | 14x | CASHLA BAY | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
16 | 33x | CHARMONT | Murray Baker | N/A |
17 | 296221x | CHENILLE (NZ) | Tony Pike | N/A |
18 | 642x511x | CHOSEN PRAYER | Joseph Pride | 68 |
19 | 987231x | CLASSIQUE | Paul Perry | 61 |
20 | 2x | CLOUDBURST | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
21 | – | COFFEE HIT | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
22 | 35x | COMANECI | Danny O’Brien | N/A |
23 | 53x | CYRENE | Mick Price | N/A |
24 | 7130x8x | DANE HUSSLER | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
25 | 443x | DELPHIC | John O’Shea | N/A |
26 | 3x76x | DHAHAB | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
27 | 63x | DOESN’T MAKE SENSE | Mark Schmetzer | N/A |
28 | 15x | DUBROVNIK | John O’Shea | 63 |
29 | 93x | DUPORCHE | Kevin Moses | N/A |
30 | 854x56x | EAST AFRIKA | Pat Carey | N/A |
31 | 43x | EMBRACE THE ROCK | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
32 | 50x | EXCLUSIVE HEIGHTS | Paul Rocke | N/A |
33 | 22x | EYES OF LOVE (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | N/A |
34 | 143x | FENWAY | Lee & Shannon Hope | N/A |
35 | 4x12112x | FIRST SEAL | John P Thompson | 103 |
36 | 26x2x | GIN LIZZIE | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | N/A |
37 | 1x | GIN SWING (NZ) | Tony Pike | N/A |
38 | – | GIROUETTE | John O’Shea | N/A |
39 | 860x50543x | GOLCONDA | Robbie Laing | N/A |
40 | 7x53642x | GRANNY SMITH | Anthony Cummings | N/A |
41 | – | HARIIR | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
42 | – | HART (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | N/A |
43 | 3x | HEAVENS ABOVE | Tim Martin | N/A |
44 | 99x | HERBERINA | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
45 | 315x | HIGH ABOVE | Anthony Cummings | N/A |
46 | 0x7x | HIGH COUNTRY | David Vandyke | N/A |
47 | 4336484x | HIPSTER GIRL | Jason Warren | N/A |
48 | – | HOT DEVILS | Anthony Cummings | N/A |
49 | 052x | IN A JIFFY (NZ) | John Sargent | N/A |
50 | 42x | JOYFUL JOURNEY | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
51 | 3x2x | KEIKOSAN | Ken Callaughan | N/A |
52 | 04x | KIPUKA | Nick Mitchell | N/A |
53 | 44x7x | LA BELLA ROUGE | Danny Williams | N/A |
54 | 35x340x20x | LA CICCIOLINA | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
55 | – | LA MUSICIENNE | Nigel Blackiston | N/A |
56 | 845x4x | LA STUPENDA | Kerry Parker | N/A |
57 | 1x6470x25x | LADY MACAN | David Payne | N/A |
58 | 36x1366x | LADY SHARAPOVA | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
59 | 5x0x604x | LAMPLIGHTER | Clarry Conners | N/A |
60 | 622x | LIKE XENA | Anthony Cummings | N/A |
61 | 93x | LINSANG | John O’Shea | N/A |
62 | 177x | LITTLE HOTTIE (NZ) | Michael Kent | N/A |
63 | 499683184x | LOBBAN DYNAMITE | Robert Barnes | 47 |
64 | 3x61580x4x | LUCKY RAQUIE | Gerald Ryan | 79 |
65 | 4x432x18x | LUXURY | Danny Williams | 61 |
66 | 1x122x4x | MAASTRICHT (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 77 |
67 | 54x6632x | MANHATTAN MOON | Marc Conners | N/A |
68 | 5x | MARAUDAMISS | Michael Kent | N/A |
69 | 454x25163x | MAROCAN DIVA | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
70 | 714x7111x | MARPLE MISS | Kris Lees | N/A |
71 | 2x | MARY QUANT (NZ) | Lance O’Sullivan | N/A |
72 | 7x205x228x | MING | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
73 | 500x1699x | MISS INTERIORS | Anthony Cummings | N/A |
74 | 9x5113108x | MUSCOVADO | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
75 | 16x3x | MUY BIEN | Anthony Cummings | 62 |
76 | 44x | NAKATAAN (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
77 | 2x316x | NAZCA | John O’Shea | 66 |
78 | – | NINTH CHANCE | John Sargent | N/A |
79 | 24x551x | NOUVELLE AGAIN | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
80 | 013x | ONDINA | Gai Waterhouse | 65 |
81 | 13x | PEEPING | Ron Quinton | 65 |
82 | 6x21x42x | PINCHME | Gai Waterhouse | 66 |
83 | 0x11x | PIPI BEEL (NZ) | Murray Baker | N/A |
84 | 232x | PLATINUM WITNESS | Lisa Latta | N/A |
85 | 80x1656x | PRECIA | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
86 | 1x | PRIMEIRO | Greg Eurell | N/A |
87 | 4646x | QUINT AUSTRALIS | Carmen Murnane | N/A |
88 | 9x | RAINDROPS ON ROSES | Nigel Blackiston | N/A |
89 | 7x22310x | ROYAL OCEAN | Mick Price | N/A |
90 | 5124x3x | RUSTIC MELODY | Kris Lees | N/A |
91 | 22x815112x | SAAVOYA (NZ) | Murray Baker | N/A |
92 | 0x0742224x | SANDY WATERS | Paul Cave | N/A |
93 | 043x | SENSE IN THE CITY | Pat Carey | N/A |
94 | 3111x | SET SQUARE | Ciaron Maher | N/A |
95 | – | SHAAHIDA | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | N/A |
96 | 8x67x10x | SHAMARDAL GOLD | Gai Waterhouse | 62 |
97 | 1x | SHANZAM | Bjorn Baker | 53 |
98 | 714x55x | SHELLEY’S GIRL | Gwenda Markwell | 61 |
99 | 051x | SIDRAH | Danny Williams | N/A |
100 | 00x | SIGNATURE MISS | Kerry Parker | N/A |
101 | 161x | SLIGHTLY SWEET | Jason Coyle | 71 |
102 | 3x754x | STARZEL | Gerald Ryan | N/A |
103 | x77444132x | STRATALENA | Clarry Conners | 61 |
104 | 2x | SUFFIRE (NZ) | Lance O’Sullivan | N/A |
105 | 213x1x | SWEET AND SPEEDY | Peter G Moody | N/A |
106 | 49x1x | SWIFT LADY (NZ) | John Sargent | 55 |
107 | 00x818x | TALISA | Gai Waterhouse | 63 |
108 | 0x45x3x | TELAAWA | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | N/A |
109 | 64x325312x | THUNDER LADY (NZ) | John Sargent | N/A |
110 | 0x5x3x | TIARE | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
111 | 2326x2x9x | TWIRL | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
112 | 22x231121x | VAVASOUR (NZ) | Peter J Williams | N/A |
113 | 1x4x | VELOCE FORTE | Peter & Paul Snowden | 65 |
114 | 36x | VIA CAVOUR | Mark Webb | N/A |
115 | 01x474331x | WILDENSTEIN | Paul Perry | 65 |
116 | 12x2152x | WINE TALES | Chris Waller | N/A |
117 | – | WINTER SWEET | Gai Waterhouse | N/A |
118 | 11x122x | WINX | Chris Waller | 96 |
119 | 631x | ZARZALI | Bart & James Cummings | N/A |
120 | 43x | ZILLOW | Ron Quinton | N/A |