The best in betting for this weekend’s feature race have all drawn wide with the likes of Egg Tart and Kenedna to jump from double-digits in the Queensland Oaks 2017 field.
Moved from Eagle Farm to Doomben Racecourse, the $500,000 Group 1 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) runs over a decreased distance as Race 7 at 3:59pm (AEST) in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.
A capacity field of 16 starters plus three emergencies is accepted for the three-years-old fillies feature and the top four fancies have all drawn wider out for the event.
Leading the early Queensland Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, the Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart is drawn gate 10 with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride on the in-form daughter of Sebring.
She has won her past five starts including a narrow success in Adelaide on May 6 in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2010m) with McEvoy in the saddle.
The fact she hasn’t had another lead-up makes the 2200m more to her liking than the mile and a half on the weekend, giving Waller a boost of confidence heading into the Queensland Oaks.
Waller is after a second Queensland Oaks success after taking out the race in 2015 with subsequent dual Cox Plate champion Winx, while McEvoy rode the 2009 winner Purple to victory.
Winx won the Queensland Oaks two years ago at Doomben from barrier 10, but Egg Tart will come into nine if the three emergencies fail to gain a start.
Drawn beside Egg Tart with barriers 11 and 12 respectively in the Queensland Oaks line-up are other key contenders Kenedna and Ana Royale.
Kenedna is out to reverse the Schweppes Oaks quinella after she was beaten a nostril flare by Egg Tart in the Morphettville classic a month ago.
The Not A Single Doubt filly had a subsequent run in Brisbane’s Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on a Heavy (8) track on May 20.
That traditional Queensland Oaks lead-up will have brought Kenedna on fitness-wise and despite some less than favourable post-race reports about how she handled the track from jockey John Alley, Weir is confident ahead of Saturday.
Ana Royale is prepared by Caulfield’s Stuart Webb and has jockey Mark Zahra retaining the ride after her nearly three length win at Morphettville a fortnight back in the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m).
That followed on from a third in the Schweppes Oaks as a $20 outsider when just over a half-length off Egg Tart, Webb’s daughter of Anacheeva having finished top three in her five latest runs.
Ana Royale however is one filly that, following her SA Fillies Classic success by the big margin, would likely have been better suited to the original 2400m distance of the Queensland Oaks.
Along with Egg Tart, Sydney’s best Waller has accepted for six other fillies in the Queensland Oaks field for 2017.
The widest-drawn of his contingent in gate 16 is Dawn Wall to be ridden by dual Queensland Oaks winning hoop Hugh Bowman.
Bowman rode Vitesse Dane to victory for Kris Lees back in 2005 before success on the now Hall of Fame inductee Winx (2015).
He retains the ride on consistent Fastnet Rock filly Dawn Wall who has enjoyed four wins from her six career starts to date including a last start Gold Coast win on May 6 in the Bracelet (1800m).
The other best fancied of the Waller-trained fillies in the mix is Oklahoma Girl who looks a big winner in the Queensland Oaks barrier draw with gate seven.
Blake Shinn is booked to ride the progressive three-year-old who only has winning form up to a mile so far but who impressed with her close The Roses second behind Kenedna last time out.
Check out the full Queensland Oaks 2017 field and barriers below, updated markets on the Group 1 to open shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Queensland Oaks Final Field & Barrier Draw
Doomben Race 7 (3:59pm) – 03/06/2017
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8143131121 | KENEDNA | Darren Weir | John Allen | 11 | 56.5kg |
2 | 431×1111 | EGG TART | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 10 | 56.5kg |
3 | 511161 | DAWN WALL | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 16 | 56.5kg |
4 | 9×31722331 | ANA ROYALE | Stuart Webb | Mark Zahra | 12 | 56.5kg |
5 | 26133×6246 | INVINCIBELLA | Chris Waller | Larry Cassidy | 6 | 56.5kg |
6 | x451x31132 | OKLAHOMA GIRL | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 7 | 56.5kg |
7 | 5818114673 | PERILOUS LOVE | Scott Morrisey | Jeff Lloyd | 9 | 56.5kg |
8 | 3214×03442 | CROSS STITCH (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 2 | 56.5kg |
9 | 3x81x38211 | PYGMY | Darren Beadman | Tommy Berry | 19 | 56.5kg |
10 | 611×324131 | ISN’T SHE ELEGANT (NZ) | Ben Currie | TBA | 15 | 56.5kg |
11 | 3221×42221 | SHARP SPEEDO | Chris Anderson | Paul Hammersley | 14 | 56.5kg |
12 | 3×957151 | BLANCO CARA (NZ) | John P Thompson | Jason Collett | 8 | 56.5kg |
13 | 5x87x15234 | SHENANDOAH (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Damien Oliver | 3 | 56.5kg |
14 | 3L1861 | BAYSA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Leith Innes | 1 | 56.5kg |
15 | 42×15 | MIA ROSA | Michael Moroney | Patrick Moloney | 5 | 56.5kg |
16 | 0x21x37932 | KIRINI | Chris Waller | Ben Melham | 13 | 56.5kg |
17e | 42310×6317 | LIPSTICK LOVER | Tony Gollan | Robbie Fradd | 17 | 56.5kg |
18e | x443321292 | NAMIB | Barry Lockwood | Brad Pengelly | 18 | 56.5kg |
19e | 94×9336103 | MIABLA | Brad Herne | Damian Browne | 4 | 56.5kg |