Jameka draws wide barrier in 2016 Australian Oaks

Jameka’s run of bad luck at the barrier draw has continued with the Ciaron Maher trained filly coming up with the extreme outside gate in the Group 1 $1m James Boags Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Jameka has drawn the outside barrier in the Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Jameka has drawn the outside barrier in the Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The 2015 Crown Oaks winner ran a courageous race last Saturday at Randwick when runner up to Tavago in Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) after jumping from barrier twelvee in the thirteen horse field.

And at her two previous Autumn Carnival outings, Jameka was also hampered with wide draws when fifth from gate twelve in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5 followed by a third from barrier fourteen in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill on March 19.

The Australian Oaks barrier draw saw Jameka come up with barrier sixteen in the final field of fourteen plus two emergencies and the Myboycharlie filly will jump from the outside gate.

Damien Oliver will be aboard Jameka again when she lines up on the second day of ‘The Championships’.

Canberra trained filly Single Gaze fared a little better than Jameka, coming up with barrier nine in the original draw and will jump from eight if first emergency Zasorceress fails to get a run.

Single Gaze provided trainer Nick Olive with his first Group 1 win when she took out $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 26 with Kathy O’Hara in the saddle.

O’Hara is back aboard again this week and will get her chance to win back to back Group 1s on the Not A Single Doubt filly.

Kiwi filly Valley Girl has also drawn a widish barrier at ten and will be taking on Single Gaze again after fishing second in the Vinery Stud Stakes with Australian Oaks jockey Brett Prebble in the saddle.

The other two Kiwi fillies in the Australian Oaks field have also been given the visitors draw with Sofia Rosa drawing gate twelve and Capella coming up with fifteen.

Top New Zealand jockey Opie Bosson rode Capella at her first Australian start when fifth in the Vinery Stud Stakes and stays with her this week while Hugh Bowman will be aboard the Stephen Marsh trained Sofia Rose who will be having her first start on Australian soil.

The lightly raced Happy Hannah showed she has some promising staying potential when she ran on from back in the field for third in the Vinery Stud Stakes, with her stablemate Self Esteem finishing fourth.

The two fillies will be representing the Peter and Paul Snowden stable with Happy Hannah drawing gate seven with Blake Shinn in the saddle again while Mark Zahra takes over from Hugh Bowman on Self Esteem who drew wide at thirteen.

Last Saturday’s Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes longshot winner Diamond Made is set to back up this week in the Australian Oaks and has drawn barrier five with Glyn Schofield taking the mount again.

Australian Oaks final field: 1 Jameka (16), 2 Single Gaze (9), 3 Honesta (8), 4 Sacred Eye (1), 5 Ambience (3), 6 Valley Girl (10), 7 Sofia Rosa (12), 8 Diamond Made (5), 9 Alaskan Rose (6), 10 Capella (15), 11 Chabaud (2), 12 Self Esteem (13), 13 Happy Hannah (7), 14 Believe (11), 15 Zasorceress (4), 16 Aurora’s Star (14).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.