Tye Angland produced one of the best rides of the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival to date to steer Gust Of Wind to victory in the 2015 Australian Oaks at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Gust Of Wind outstayed her rivals to record an impressive win in the 2015 Australian Oaks. Photo by: Steve Hart
Angland was keen to maintain the ride on Thunder Lady in the Australian Oaks, but connections opted to give Zac Purton the ride on the Crown Oaks runner-up and Angland was shifted to the Darci Brahma filly following her fourth place finish in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Monday.
Gust Of Wind was settled in a lovely position just behind the leaders in the early stages of the Australian Oaks and Angland was able to find the ideal passage for the three-year and she kicked away from her rivals to record a most impressive victory.
Angland admitted after the race that he was initially disappointed to lose the ride on Thunder Lady, but he said after closely analysing the lead-up form of Gust Of Wind he thought that he was a genuine winning chance in the Australian Oaks.
“I really wanted to stick on Thunder Lady and ride her as I rode her last start and I thought she would win the Oaks, but it turned out that Zac got the booking and I was disappointed at the time,” Angland said.
“I went through this horses races and the distance was definitely going to suit, she got home really good on Monday and the quick back-up really suited her.
“I served it up to her on the corner and she just kept running.
“I did no work early, ended up on the inside of Thunder Lady, crept up inside Hughie who was leading and stitched them from the corner.
“She is a great stayer this filly.”
John Sargent has a simply outstanding record in three-year-old fillies races and the Australian Oaks win of Gust Of Wind means that he has now won the Australian Oaks, Crown Oaks, New Zealand Oaks and Queensland Oaks in the past three years.
Thunder Lady was considered Sargent’s major Australian Oaks horse coming into the race, but the New Zealander said that he was very happy with the Adrian Knox Stakes effort of Gust Of Wind and was delighted with the way she hit the line in the Group 1 event this afternoon.
“I love these fillies,” Sargent said.
“She has just improved, she ran a very good race on Monday with good late sectionals and she showed today as she just crept through the field.
“It was a lovely ride by Tye and she finished off strongly.
“They seemed to be winning on the fence and so I didn’t worry with Tye wherever he went and she just kept hitting the line stronger and stronger.
“It was a fantastic result.”
Winx started the Australian Oaks as favourite and hit the line bravely to finish second, while Candelara toughed it out to finish third.
