The Chris Waller trained Royal Descent could be a surprise runner in next week’s Australian Oaks after scoring an impressive win in today’s Group 3 $125,000 Tabcorp Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
Royal Descent could have earned herself a run in the Australian Oaks after winning the Adrian Knox at Randwick.. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waller will have to confer with owner Gerry Harvey if the Redoute’s Choice filly will take her place in the Group 1 $550,000 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick after the fillies’ Classic wasn’t on Royal Descent’s program.
“I’ll have to speak to the Harvey team and see what they want,” Waller said.
“We’ll just see what Gerry Harvey says. The plan wasn’t to start in the Oaks, but things change when you get wins like that.”
“It’s their decision and they’ve got a very nice filly on their hands.
Winning jockey Nash Rawiller is also recommending an Oaks start after the filly took care of her opposition in easy fashion.
“She gave us a beautiful ride throughout the run, probably travelled like the winner the whole race,” Rawiller said.
“Not sure what Chris is going to do. He was sort of talking about tipping her out. One today’s win I would be having a good look at the Oaks.”
“She just seemed to take no ill affect in the run, she basically had a bit of a track gallop early and was really strong in the last 400, just gave me no indication what so ever that she was starting to train off.”
Rawiller was able to sit just behind the pace on Royal Descent ($5.50) and nurse the filly under 59kg before moving up along the inside in the early part of the straight before rolling off the fence to score a two and a half lengths win over Express Power ($18) and $4.20 favourite Unimpeachable.
