Carey Happy With Choix De Maia Ahead Of Australasian Oaks

There has been a sprinkling of support for Choix De Maia in 2015 Australasian Oaks betting markets and trainer Pat Carey is happy with the progressive filly heading into the Group 1 event at Morphettville on Saturday.

Rhys McLeod has been booked to ride Choix De Maia in the 2015 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Rhys McLeod has been booked to ride Choix De Maia in the 2015 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Choix De Maia produced strong closing sectionals to take out the Maffra Chesse Company Maiden (1423m) at Sale on February 20 and the City Jeep Grand Cherokee Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 9 and she has produced a string of competitive performances at black-type level heading into the Australasian Oaks.

The Choisir filly hit the line fairly to finish sixth behind Fontein Ruby in the Listed Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 27 and she did not handle the wet track when eighth in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 before she worked home strongly to finish third in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville on April 18.

Carey told Racing Ahead that he was happy with the performance of Choix De Maia in the Auraria Stakes, but he is confident that the three-year-old can produce an even better performance if she gets an opportunity on a dry track in the Australasian Oaks this weekend.

“She has won into wet tracks her last couple, so we haven’t seen the best of her, but despite that she was still pretty good in the Auraria Stakes,” Carey said.

Kerrin McEvoy rode her that day (in the Adrian Knox Stakes) and he said that she just had no traction on the corners on that day at that track being like it was, but when she got into a straight line and got balanced again her last furlong was good and that is what gave us a bit of inspiration to keep going on.”

Choix De Maia was one of the big losers of the 2015 Australasian Oaks barrier draw that was released on Tuesday and the progressive galloper will jump from barrier 15 once the emergencies are removed on Saturday.

The three-year-old has generally been ridden as a get-back, run-on type of galloper during her racing career to date and Carey said that he does not expect that to change in the Australasian Oaks.

“I see her in the second half of the field,” Carey said.

“I would obviously like to see good speed and I would like to see something dish it up to Fontein Ruby to make sure she stays up on the bridle.”

Choix De Maia is currently available at 2015 Australasian Oaks odds of $21 with Ladbrokes, while Fontein Ruby ($3.50) remains a clear favourite from Fenway ($4.60), Delicacy ($7.50) and Wine Tales ($9).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.