Cox Plate placegetter Yankee Rose has been installed the early favourite for the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 3.
Yankee Rose, above in white and blue colours, is the favourite for the Crown Oaks at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au have Yankee Rose as a clear cut $2 favourite following the fillies brave third placing behind Winx and Hartnell in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
While the Chris Waller trained Winx was in a class of her own with a record breaking eight lengths win over her nearest rival, Yankee Rose worked to the line well to finish three quarters of a length behind Hartnell.
“She has won two Group 1 races, run second in the Golden Slipper and third in the Cox Plate in her first year of racing,’’ trainer David Vandyke told The Courier-Mail.
“It was a thrill just to have a runner in the Cox Plate, but to see her making ground down the outside and being strong to the line was unbelievable.
“To be there and feel the atmosphere was such an experience.
“I was looking up at the grandstand and the crowd after the race and trying to take it all in.
“It was an amazing day and we were a part of racing history.’’
Vandyke is certain that Yankeee Rose will come through her Cox Plate run okay and is now keen to head to Flemington for the Crown Oaks.
“This filly has just competed at the top level and was off the bit a long way from home, trying her guts out,” Vandyke said.
“I’ll keep an eye on her over the next four or five days, but at this stage she is going to the Oaks.’’
The All Amercain filly is a winner of four of her eight race starts and include wins in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 2, day one of ‘The Championships’ during the Sydney Autumn Carnival and then returned to Randwick during the Sydney Spring Carnival to win the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 8.
Market order for the Crown Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2 Yankee Rose, $8 Tiamo Grace, $9 Eleonora, $13 Sebring Dream, Smart As You Think, $17 Missrock, Moqueen, Sezanne, $26 Bella Sorellastra, La Luna Rossa, My Girl Chilly, Peeking Duck, $31 Cross Stitch, $41 or more the rest.
