Darren Weir’s Schweppes Oaks winning filly May’s Dream is one of the headline nominees for the Queensland Oaks 2014 after early entries for the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival majors closed on Wednesday.

Schweppes Oaks winner May's Dream is nominated for the 2014 Queensland Oaks this winter. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

There are 69 three-year-old fillies nominated for this year’s $400,000, Group 1 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2400m) set to run at Eagle Farm Racecourse on May 31.

Weir’s flying New Approach three-year-old backed up from some promising Melbourne form this autumn in Adelaide with a third in the Schweppervescence Stakes before her narrow victory in the Group 1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks (2000m) last weekend.

Schweppes Oaks runner-up Star Fashion also features in the Queensland Oaks nominations, the David Hayes-trained daughter of Street Cry having run twice in Morphettville this season as well.

She was fourth behind subsequent Chairman’s Stakes winner Gamblin’ Guru, a top chance in the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) this weekend, in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) before stepping up to the 2000m for the Oaks.

Hayes has also nominated for Helen Of Rose, also by New Approach, who is yet to race in the big city but who has had four provincial runs.

Another one of the top chances at this stage among those entries is David Vandyke’s Dubawi grey Arabian Gold who has won back-to-back Randwick Group 3s over 2000m this season.

Arabian Gold earned her Queensland Oaks assignment after beating home good fields in both the Adrian Knox Stakes and then the Frank Packer Plate last weekend over the boys.

She also looks able to go the distance in the mile and a half feature after running a credible sixth in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington during the spring.

Another Group 1 Oaks performer making headlines ahead of the Queensland edition this month is then Shaune Ritchie’s Kiwi raider Chop Chop.

The Guillotine grey was last seen running fourth to Miss Mossman in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) in mid-March.

She makes her Australian debut this Saturday on the Gold Coast in the $125,000 Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m), a key lead-up race for Queensland Oaks-bound fillies.

The inclusion of Chop Chop in the Queensland Oaks nominations keeps the Kiwis in the mix after fellow New Zealand trainer Roger James shelved plans to send one of the likely favourites back over for the winter.

James was to have Lady Cumquat, winner of the Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) at home, return down under for the Queensland carnival following her third to Arabian Gold in the Adrian Knox Stakes.

He’s pulled her off the flight, set to leave tonight, however after she failed to impress with a track gallop on Tuesday morning.

The Tony Pike-trained Rock Diva also comes via a New Zealand Oaks run, the in-form Lucky Unicorn filly having run third on the back of a win tin the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m).

Other Gold Coast Bracelet runners nominated for the Queensland Oaks this year meanwhile include the Noel Doyle-trained local Meadow Dreamer coming off back-to-back wins over 2156m and 1800m respectively, Michael Moroney’s last start Kensington winner Asadauskaite, Anthony Cummings’ Adrian Knox Stakes fourth placed Paris Match, and the Kelly Schweida-trained Little Bit Ditsy.

Bel Esprit filly Little Bit Ditsy comes off a good third at Eagle Farm from April 19 when beaten by Best Yet To Come and Quest For Peace in the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m).

Princess Stakes runner-up Quest For Peace is also an Oaks nominee, the Gold Coast-based filly on the improve.

See below for the full Queensland Oaks 2014 nominations with first acceptances to close on May 21.

Our preferred online betting agency Ladbrokes.com.au will be releasing their futures Queensland Oaks odds shortly so make sure you get in on the action!

2014 Queensland Oaks Nominations

Eagle Farm Racecourse – 31/05/2014