Kiwi filly Provocative has missed out on making the final field for the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2400m) after being made the first emergency.
Favourite Imposing Lass has drawn midfield at barrier ten in the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
A full field of eighteen fillies plus four emergencies accepted for the Winter Carnival classic which will be staged on the first day back racing on the newly reconstructed Eagle Farm track on Saturday.
The balloting conditions for the Queensland Oaks states that the fillies with the least amount of prizemoney will be eliminated first with Provocative’s $31,078 just falling short of her making the final eighteen and resulting in the top Oaks fancy being handed saddlecloth number nineteen.
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike accepts the situation and said that he knew the rules before the Zabeel filly landed in Australia.
“I knew the rules before I came over with her, and there are horses above her that have won more prize money therefore they deserve to be in the race,’’ Pike told The Courier-Mail.
“I don’t know how the system can be changed. It is what it is, and we just have to cop it.
“It would be a very difficult situation for someone to try to select a horse ahead of another horse which has banked more prize money. It is just a shame she missed some of the better races in New Zealand and wasn’t able to collect more prize money before she came over.”
New Zealand jockey Leith Innes has been booked to run Provocative if she gains a start in the Queensland Oaks and the filly was also out of luck at the barrier draw, coming up with gate twenty.
Pike has also accepted with Provocative in the Group 2 $250,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) and if the filly fails to get a late call up for the Queensland Oaks, she will take on the older stayers on Saturday with the option of backing up next week in the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
Provocative has shown her staying ability with a win over 2100m in a rating 65 Handicap at Ellerslie in early February and a two and quarter lengths win in a three year old Handicap over 2190m at Ipswich on May 18.
Favourite Imposing Lass has drawn midfield at barrier ten with regular rider Jason Collett to ride again.
