Queensland Oaks fillies to clash in The Roses

Queensland Oaks fillies Ballet Suite and Bohemian Lily are set to clash again in the Group 2 $175,000 URBIS The Roses (2020m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Ballet Suite, above, will clash again with Bohemian Lily in The Roses at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Ballet Suite, above, will clash again with Bohemian Lily in The Roses at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The Chris Waller trainer Ballet Suite and Bohemian Lily from the Gai Waterhouse stable finished one, two in the Listed $100,000 City Property Services Princess Stakes (2000m) at Doomben on Doomben Cup Day a fortnight ago.

The pair have drawn in the second half of the fifteen horse field with the backmarker Ballet Suite coming up with barrier eight while the on pacer Bohemian Lily will jump from gate eleven.

Top Sydney jockey Blake Shinn dominated Doomben Cup Day with five winners, including a Group 1 winning double on Pornichet in the $650,000 The Bundaberg Rum Doomben Cup (2000m) and on Hot Snitzel in the $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m).

But he couldn’t get Bohemian Lily home but expects the O’Reilly filly to be better for the run as she heads towards the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday week.

“Every time she runs she makes great improvements and a little bit further in distance will be just to her liking,” Shinn told The Courier-Mail.

“All along she has been set for the Oaks, while a lot of the others haven’t. I couldn’t be happier with her.’’

Kerrin McEvoy was aboard Ballet Suite when she overhauled Bohemian Lily in the Princess Stakes and has the mount again in The Roses.

Toowoomba filly Col ‘N’ Lil, fourth, and former Kiwi filly No Tricks, sixth, finished behind Ballet Suite and Bohemian Lily in the Princess Stakes and get another chance to stake their claims for the Queensland Oaks.

Leading Brisbane apprentice Luke Tarrant has retained the ride on Col ‘N’ Lil who came up with barrier six while Michael Cahill takes over from Stephen Baster on No Tricks who has drawn the outside gate.

Damian Browne takes the mount on Kiwi Group 1 winner Platinum Witness who has drawn midfield at barrier seven.

The Lisa Latta trained California Dane filly has been runner up at her latest two starts including a second in the Group 1 NZ$300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 14 before being freshened up for a second in the Listed NZ$50,000 Windsor Park Stud Rotorua Stakes (1400m) at Rotorua on May 9.

Platinum Witness also showed her class with a win in the Group 1 NZ$300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 42nd 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton Park on November 15.

The Sue Walsh trained Exquisite Jewel has also arrived from the Shaky Isles with solid form, winning the Group 3 NZ$70,000 Higgins Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni on March 28 followed by a second in the Group 2 NZ$100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on April 18.

The Lucky Unicorn filly will be ridden by Jim Byrne and has drawn nicely at gate four.

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.