Local filly Maybe Discreet has produced a dominant performance on her home track to claim the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphetville today.

Maybe Discreet produced a dominant performance to claim the Group 1 Australasian Oaks. Photo by Jenny Barnes

Trainer Phillip Stokes pencilled in the three-year-old fillies’ feature as her autumn target at the beginning of her preparation and it showed as she peaked perfectly on the big occasion.

The application of blinkers and a positive ride from Dominic Tourneur saw Maybe Discreet settle just behind the leaders early in the race.

As the field approached the turn and the leaders began to tire, Tourneur called on his mount and she responded terrifically to fight all the way to the line and claim a 2 1/2 length win from Grand Daughter and La Zuma.

Stokes was thrilled that the long-range plan to target the race had come to fruition.

“We put the blinkers back on her today and Dom gave her a terrific ride,” Stokes said.

“This was her goal, fourth run in and we couldn’t have had her any better. She proved that.”

Stokes said he was unsure where exactly Maybe Discreet’s spring targets will lie but is predicting she will show her best as a four-year-old over 1600m.

Tourneur admitted he got some luck after jumping from barrier 15 but praised both the training effort of Stokes and a “gutsy” performance from Maybe Discreet.

“This is terrific to get my first Group 1 here, particularly for Phillip Stokes,” Tourneur said.

“She’s gutsy, I was always confident she would get the trip.

“I knew Phillip had her right. On the corner I was travelling that well I thought anything that is going to beat me is going to have to be good.”