Mandy & Matt Brown’s Kiwi raider La Bella Diosa is the headliner and early favourite following the Australian Oaks 2017 first acceptances for the Royal Randwick feature on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’.
New Zealander La Bella Diosa is early favourite in 2017 Australian Oaks betting post-first acceptances for the Randwick classic. Photo: Steve Hart.
Racing NSW took the first declarations for all the major races held on the first two Saturdays in April this week including those for the $1 million Group 1 James Boags Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 8.
There are now 69 three-year-old fillies heading towards the staying classic with pre-field Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au led by the New Zealander La Bella Diosa ($6).
Fillies from across the Tasman have a top recent record in the Australian Oaks results including two wins in the past three years with Rising Romance (2014) and Sofia Rosa (2016).
So You Think filly La Bella Diosa is tracking beautifully to further frank the New Zealand form after the NZ 1000 Guineas winner won her Australian debut on February 25 in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m).
She races again this weekend taking on the older mares in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and will only improve the more metres she is given.
Another in-form New Zealand-trained filly among the Australian Oaks first acceptances this autumn is Eleonora for Cambridge trainers Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman.
The nicely-bred Makfi chestnut has finished out of the money just once in her nine career starts to date and has winning form in Melbourne from the spring.
She won the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield in October before running third behind upset winner Lasqueti Sprit in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) and is the $9 equal second-elect in futures Australian Oaks betting.
Chasing the interstate Oaks double, Lasqueti Spirit is another headline Australian Oaks entry.
Lee Curtis prepares the progressive daughter of Beneteau who caught the eye at odds of $101 last time out finishing second best behind the world’s best Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
Lasqueti Spirit is also being kept fairly safe in futures Australian Oaks markets at $10.
Along with Eleonora the other $9 fancies shorter than the Crown Oaks winner are Harlow Gold and Omei Sword.
Harlow Gold represents the Lindsay Park stable and the Tavistock filly is a bred stayer proven by her Crown Oaks second last Melbourne Cup Carnival.
She has raced twice since in the autumn including a brave fourth when only one and a half-lengths off the winner Hey Doc in last weekend’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Lindsay Park have a total of seven Australian Oaks first acceptors including also Autumn Classic fourth placegetter Miss Strathallan and last start Sandown-Lakeside winner Sebring Dream.
Chris Waller chases a second win after his success in 2013 with Royal Descent and Omei Sword headlines his five-strong Australian Oaks contingent.
Runner-up in the Golden Rose last year, Omei Sword had her autumn return delayed due to injury but showed she was back on track with a first-up second in the mud behind La Bella Diosa in the Surround Stakes.
Foxplay shapes-up as the other key hopeful for Waller, the Foxwedge filly racing against the boys this weekend in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes.
The Australian Oaks 2017 final field is set for release on Tuesday April 4.
The full first acceptances can be seen below with the latest Australian Oaks odds for 2017 available online now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Australian Oaks First Acceptances
Randwick Racecourse – 08/04/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0x2111 | AHNDRAS | F | 3 | Toby Edmonds | – |
| 2 | 528×3 | ALMALITA | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 3 | 7×424 | ARAMOANA (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 4 | 464×645 | ARAZONA | F | 3 | Chris Waller | – |
| 5 | 5×1632 | BEWILDERING | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 6 | 3×9 | BLANCO CARA (NZ) | F | 3 | John P Thompson | – |
| 7 | 8x60x913x | BLUE OCEAN | F | 3 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | – |
| 8 | 1x5P3x | BONNEVAL (NZ) | F | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | – |
| 9 | 0x73125x6 | BRIDLE LANE | F | 3 | John P Thompson | 62 |
| 10 | 878x411x | CAMBAGE | F | 3 | Scott Singleton | 68 |
| 11 | 15481 | CASSADEE | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 67 |
| 12 | 2131×7 | CEYLON (NZ) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 64 |
| 13 | 081×413 | CONCESSIONS | F | 3 | Scott Singleton | 66 |
| 14 | 5751 | CONCISELY | F | 3 | John P Thompson | 63 |
| 15 | 0x11x | DAME MARGO FONTEYN (NZ) | F | 3 | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | – |
| 16 | 13×6 | DANCING HARE | F | 3 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | – |
| 17 | 511 | DAWN WALL | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 71 |
| 18 | 61142x | DEVISE (NZ) | F | 3 | Shaune Ritchie | – |
| 19 | 321827 | DOMESTICATED | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 20 | 32x21013x2 | ELEONORA (NZ) | F | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | – |
| 21 | 431 | FACE LIKE THUNDER | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 53 |
| 22 | 534×394852 | FARAWAY TOWN | F | 3 | Matthew Smith | 76 |
| 23 | 28x32327x1 | FLEETING STRYKE | F | 3 | Theresa Bateup | 62 |
| 24 | 212x114x24 | FOXPLAY | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 92 |
| 25 | x954750x21 | FROMPARIS WITHLOVE | F | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens | – |
| 26 | x611562x34 | HARLOW GOLD (NZ) | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 94 |
| 27 | 431 | HIGH IMPULSE | F | 3 | James Cummings | 64 |
| 28 | 7343×6 | HOLD ALL TICKETS | F | 3 | Scott Aspery | – |
| 29 | 6080×536 | KAMILI | F | 3 | Pat Carey | – |
| 30 | 5144×22 | KARAVALI (NZ) | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 70 |
| 31 | 14x3111x1 | LA BELLA DIOSA (NZ) | F | 3 | Mandy & Matt Brown | 92 |
| 32 | 2×42 | LA CHATTE | F | 3 | John O’Shea | – |
| 33 | 2167 | LADY EVELYN | F | 3 | Jason Deamer | 52 |
| 34 | 6 | LADY OF DARKNESS | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 35 | 2741600×36 | LAMMA HILTON | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 62 |
| 36 | 6538241×02 | LASQUETI SPIRIT | F | 3 | Lee Curtis | 104 |
| 37 | 02×3 | LILYMORN (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 38 | 16x2231x55 | LUBITON | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 71 |
| 39 | 936×14 | MISS STRATHALLAN | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 40 | x1x66735x1 | MISSROCK | F | 3 | Robbie Laing | 81 |
| 41 | 522x435x21 | MONTOYA’S SECRET | F | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens | – |
| 42 | 5435149×70 | MOQUEEN | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 71 |
| 43 | 62 | MULL OVER | F | 3 | James Cummings | – |
| 44 | 55×2715 | NAUGHTY THOUGHTS | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 62 |
| 45 | 724151x | NICOLETTA (NZ) | F | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | – |
| 46 | 1x01x7 | NURSE KITCHEN (NZ) | F | 3 | David Brideoake | 82 |
| 47 | 129x12x2 | OMEI SWORD | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 92 |
| 48 | 9231×99481 | PARTHESIA (NZ) | F | 3 | Darren Weir | – |
| 49 | 050×442613 | PEGAPUS | F | 3 | Scott Morrisey | – |
| 50 | 36×931 | PERFECT RHYME | F | 3 | Ron Leemon | 63 |
| 51 | 755×358181 | PERILOUS LOVE | F | 3 | Scott Morrisey | – |
| 52 | 7×0 | POET’S EDITION | F | 3 | Kerry Parker | – |
| 53 | 43x81x3x | PYGMY | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 62 |
| 54 | 65×32 | ROCK GISELLE | F | 3 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | – |
| 55 | 1x556520x1 | SEBRING DREAM | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 77 |
| 56 | 6x911x7 | SEDANZER | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 67 |
| 57 | 4×673161 | SHE’S MAGICAL | F | 3 | Gregory Hickman | 62 |
| 58 | 24×1 | SIREN’S FURY | F | 3 | Jason Coyle | 64 |
| 59 | 8421×3 | SO BELLE | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 60 | 3x10x1 | SOGNANI | F | 3 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 61 | 2×21 | THE PINNACLE | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 67 |
| 62 | 4×2 | THINK LIKE A BIRD | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 63 | 9444×13 | TOFFEE NOSE | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | – |
| 64 | 44x411x334 | UP THE TEMPO | F | 3 | John & Chris Meagher | – |
| 65 | 2×5 | WAKING MOMENT | F | 3 | John P Thompson | – |
| 66 | 7×21 | WANGAALA | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | – |
| 67 | 1513 | WHEAL LEISURE | F | 3 | Archie Alexander | – |
| 68 | 067 | ZAMBESIA | F | 3 | Pat Carey | – |
| 69 | 0x4311x97 | ZENALICIOUS | F | 3 | Les Bridge | 75 |
