Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker is chasing his second Group 1 win in as many weeks with Imposing Lass in the $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2400m) on the newly reconstructed Eagle Farm track on Saturday.
Imposing Lass is the early favourite for the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Baker claimed his first Group 1 victory at Doomben last Saturday when Music Magnate stormed down the middle of the track to win the $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m).
Imposing Lass is at the top of the market order for the Queensland Oaks at $6 with Ladbrokes.com.au even though she is coming off a last third behind Oaks rivals Kebede and Sebring Sally in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Millions The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 21.
“I’m very confident with her, I thought her run was super last week,” Baker told G1X.
Imposing Lass’ last start defeat brought her winning run to an end after being successful at her previous four starts.
The Makfi filly had worked her way up through the classes since winning her maiden at Hawkesbury at the end of November last year and showed her Queensland Oaks credentials with an all the way win in the Listed $125,000 All-New Jaguar XE Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.
Baker said that the Queensland Oaks had been a long range plan after the filly won her maiden and he has no doubt that she will run the 2400m of the fillies’ classic, being out of Imposingly, a mare by champion staying sire Zabeel.
“She is out of a Zabeel mare and just needed a long break after her last prep, so we did that and you can see the benefit,” Baker said.
“I have no worries at all about her staying the trip, the family is full of stayers.
“This is the race we have been waiting for on the big track and if she runs well she is still in the Derby.”
On the second line of betting at $7 is the Kiwi filly Provocative just ahead of Dawnie Perfect and Falkenberg both at $8.
The Jim Pike trained Provocative is no certain starter in the Queensland Oaks if the Cambridge trainer elects to start her in the 2220m Three Year Old Handicap at Doomben on Wednesday and then keep her for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm the following week.
Early market order for the Queensland Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Imposing Lass, $7 Provocative, $8 Dawnie Perfect, Falkenberg, $9 Romantic Maid, $10 Ambience, Self Esteem, $11 Kebede, Chabaud, $13 Tavi Bay, $15 Dulverton, Tap This, $17 Zasorceress, $21 Alaskan Rose, Beluga Blue, Mount Omei, Queens Of Wands.
