Queensland Oaks favourite Winx rounded off her preparation for Saturday’s filly’s classic with an easy solo gallop at the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning.
Winx rounded off her Queensland Oaks preparation with an easy solo gallop at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller was adamant that he didn’t want Winx to have a hard hit out and was happy with the way she worked well within herself under a tight rein on the course proper.
“The last thing I want to see is her run 34 seconds for the last 600m because if they do it on the track they won’t do it on race day,” Waller told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
“We know she is good enough, we know she is in form and she ran second in the Australian Oaks, so she gets the distance and I don’t have to try and make her run longer or shorter.
“I’ve just got to make sure she is a happy horse and she is sound and the only way to do that is by not working them too hard.”
Stablemate Ballet Suite, also well fancied for the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben, went around on her own as well and was also unextended.
“They weren’t out there to break any records and hence why they worked on their own,” Waller said.
“Both their riders were happy and they worked well.”
Winx is currently the clear cut $2.70 favourite for the Queensland Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au and her recent form supports her high rating.
The Street Cry filly was sent out the top pick when second to Gust Of Wind in the Group 1 $1m Seven News Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 11 and cemented her spot at the head of the Queensland Oaks market order after producing a last to first win in the Group 3 $125,000 XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on May 16.
Top Sydney rider Hugh Bowman takes over on Winx from Sunshine Coast Guineas winning jockey Larry Cassidy and the classy filly will jump from barrier nine if all the emergencies fail to gain a start.
Ballet Suite,with Kerrin McEvoy on board from the extreme outside gate, also goes into the Oaks as a last start winner over Bohemian Lily in the Listed $100,000 City Property Services Princess Stakes (2000m) at Doomben on May 9 and is listed as a $10 chance.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Bohemian Lily has raced since for an all the way win in the Group 2 $175,000 URBIS The Roses (2020m) at Doomben last Saturday and is the second pick in the market order at $5.50.
The Bjorn Baker trained Sebrina is the only other filly under double figures at $8.50 and is coming off an unlucky last start fourth in a 2000m BenchMark 73 Handicap at Randwick last weekend.
Queensland Oaks market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.70 Winx, $5.50 Bohemian Lily, $8.50 Sebrina, $10 Ballet Suite, Ungrateful Ellen, $17 Platinum Witness, $21 Col ‘N’ Lil, Exquisite Jewel, Zarzali, $26 Rustic Melody, $31 Whatalovelyday, Swift Lady, $41 Yulong Baby, Champion Stage, $51 Anaphora, Imperial Lass, Shandaara, No Tricks, $61 Heavens Above, $151 Mine With Lime, $201 Stewball.
