Promising filly Fitocracy is set to head to the 2015 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville on May 2 after she recorded an upset victory in the Auraria Stakes at the same venue this afternoon.
Jockey Brad Rawiller cut the corner on Kanas Sunflower coming into the straight and she looked like the winner when she kicked several lengths clear of her rivals at the 300 metre mark, but the Luke Oliver-trained galloper clearly tired in the final stages of the Auraria Stakes and the fast-finishing Fitocracy was able to get her nose in front in the shadows of the post.
Fitocracy had not recorded a race win since she broke her maiden with a victory in the James Thredgold Jewellers Handicap (1300m) at Morphettville Parks in May last year and she was outclassed at Listed level when she finished seventh in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and fourth in the Listed City Of Greater Dandenong Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on November 15 during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but she is now set to receive an opportunity at Group 1 level in the Australasian Oaks.
Kansas Sunflower has gone to another level during her autumn campaign to date after winning a maiden at Yarra Valley on March 15 and taking out the Denis Walter Afternoons Trophy (1600m) at Flemington on April 11, but she lost no admirers with her tough performance.
The Mastercraftsman filly is set to remain in Adelaide for the Australasian Oaks, but there is now a little bit of doubt over her ability to run out a strong 2000 metres after she tired late in the final stages of the Auraria Stakes.
Choix De Maia is another filly that could press on to the Australasian Oaks after she finished third in the Auraria Stakes, but she will need to find at least two and a half lengths of improvement as Fitocracy and Kansas Sunflower were able to clear out on their rivals in the final stages of the Group 3 event.
The Australasian Oaks will be held at Morphettville in a fortnight and has previously been won by the likes of Mannerism, Episode, Rinky Dink, Irish Darling, Zarita, Lights Of Heaven, Invest, Maybe Discreet and Lights Of Heaven in recent years.
