Last Monday’s Adrian Knox Stakes winner Candelara is in fine order as she prepares to back up in the Group 1 $1m Seven News Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Day Two of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday.
Candelara is backing up in the Australian Oaks after winning the Adrian Knox Stakes,above, at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker has reported that Candelara has recovered well from her two and a quarter lengths win in the Group 3 $200,000 TAB Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick at the postponed first day of ‘The Championships’.
“She has come through that race ‘super’, I could not be happier with her,” Baker told The Daily Telegraph.
“She had a good fitness base going into that race, I gave her plenty of work between runs and we were confident she would run well.’’
Adrian Knox winning jockey Hugh Bowman will be aboard Candelara again in the Australian Oaks and Baker is certain that the Real Saga filly can take advantage of her good barrier draw at gate two and race on the pace again after leading all the way on Monday.
“From the barrier, she is going to be an ideal run because she has good gate speed and can put herself thereabouts in the run,’’ Baker said.
Candelara has been marked as an $11 chance and will be coming up against some of the same fillies that she beat in the Adrian Knox Stakes including the runner-up Rustic Melody, fourth placegetter Gust Of Wind and the Chris Waller trained Wine Tales who finished sixth.
Waller will also saddle up the $4.20 favourite Winx and the improving Ballet Suite who is well up in the market order at $7 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Winx was a winner two starts back in the Group 2 $175,000 Cellarbrations Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 14 before running an unlucky fifth to Fenway in the Group 1 $400,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 28.
While Ballet Suite finished fourth in the Vinery Stud Stakes after winning over 1600m in a BenchMark 70 at Randwick on March 11.
Australian Oaks market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.20 Winx, $6 Fenway, $6.50 Thunder Lady, $7 Ballet Suite, $7.50 Savaria, $11 Candelara, $16 Gust Of Wind, Adrift, $19 Rustic Melody, Zarzali, $34 Sweet And Speedy, Wine Tales, $151 Wildenstein.
