Big race jockey Blake Shinn has been given the tough task of navigating a winning path on Nurse Kitchen from the outside barrier in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on day two of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday.
Nurse Kitchen, above in white and blue colours, will need plenty of luck from the outside barrier in the Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Nurse Kitchen will jump from the outside gate in the fourteen horse field and trainer David Brideoake is giving Shinn the responsibility of mapping out a winning plan.
“What can you do. That’s his problem now,” Brideoake told AAP.
Brideoake is hoping he turn two Sydney Autumn Carnival Group 1 placings into a Group 1 victory and is hoping with a lot of luck he returns to his Mornington base with an Australian Oaks winning trophy.
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” Brideoake said.
“I’ve had a pretty good autumn in Sydney with these horses but it would be nice to get a Group One on the board.
“We’ve been close with a second and a third.
“You don’t get that many shots at the board in these types of races and there’s been a couple of close ones, but the horses are racing well which is important.”
Nurse Kitchen is coming off a last start second to Montoya’s Secret in the Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 25 and also saddle up Hardham to run third behind Jon Snow and Harper’s Choice in the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Brideoake took Nurse Kitchen back to his Mornington base to recover from her hard run on a heavy track in the Vinery Stud Saks and has reported that the Savabeel mare is primed and ready to go again.
“She’s been back home for the last two weeks,” Brideoake said.
“She’s had a bit of quiet time at the farm and recovered well from the trip and we wound her up again this morning.
“She’s as good as gold.”
Nurse Kitchen is on the third line of betting at $6 for the Australian Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au behind the New Zealand Oaks winner Bonneval at $4 and the Lindsay Park trained Harlow Gold at $5.
Cambridge co-trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman are looking for a Group 1 double over ‘The Championships” after Jon Snow won the Australian Derby last Saturday.
Bonneval is the winner of her last three starts and will be having her first run since beating Devise in the Group 1 NZ$300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham in New Zealand on March 18.
Hugh Bowman has picked up the ride on Bonneval who has drawn nicely at barrier six and the Makfi filly will be clashing again with the Shaune Ritchie trained filly Devise who will jump from barrier nine with Damien Oliver in the saddle.
