The spring’s VRC Oaks runner-up Bring Me Roses is one of the key three-year-old staying fillies among the Australian Oaks 2018 first acceptances taken this week for the April classic.
Bring Me Roses is a standout first acceptor for next month’s ATC Oaks 2018 over 2400m at Randwick during ‘The Championships’. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
First declarations for all the majors held during ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick next month closed on Tuesday including those for the Group 1 $1 million James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m).
Held on Day 2, April 14, the ATC Oaks first acceptances attracted 64 three-year-old fillies and the Tony McEvoy-trained Bring Me Roses is an early standout.
The ultra-consistent daughter of High Chaparral was up over this distance in Melbourne during the spring and finished second in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.
She has had two runs this time in for a first-up second in Flemington’s Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) before returning to the track to cross just two lengths back third to Grunt when taking on the boys in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
Yet to race in Sydney, Bring Me Roses will debut in NSW this weekend at Rosehill Gardens as a 51kg lightweight against the older mares in a star-studded edition of the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
She is also one of the best in all-in Australian Oaks betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at a current quote of $10.
There are two single-figure chances in the Australian Oaks odds post-first acceptances with the Kiwi visitor Danzdanzdance ($7) and the John Sargent-trained Luvalva ($8).
The New Zealanders saluted in last year’s ATC Oaks results with the NZ Oaks champ Bonneval (2017) making it a cross-Tasman double.
This autumn the best fancied of the possible Kiwi-trained fillies in the mix is the lightly-raced Mastercraftsman grey Danzdanzdance from the Ruakaka stables of Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs.
Having had just two starts to date, her latest run was a brae third in a blanket finish behind Vin De Dance in the Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m) on March 3.
Luvaluva meanwhile is prepared locally by Sargent who won the ATC Oaks back in 2015 with Gust Of Wind, still the last horse to defeat the mighty Winx who ran second.
Also a daughter of Mastercraftsman, Luvaluva won last year’s Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) before her VRC Oaks fourth.
First-up she ran sixth to Doncaster Mile-bound Kementari in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) over the too-short distance and she is accepted for a second-up start on Friday in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) up over the mile.
Other standout fillies paid up for at first acceptance stage for the Australian Oaks include Mick Price’s VRC Oaks third placegetter Hiyaam, MV Vase winner over the boys Aloisia, another Kiwi-trained raider Savvy Coup and the in-form David Payne-trained improver All Too Soon.
The Australian Oaks 2018 final field is set for release on April 10 making now the time to back your early favourites at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2018 Australian Oaks First Acceptances
Royal Randwick – 14/04/2018
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 438x331x11 | ALL TOO SOON | F | 3 | David Payne | 71 |
| 2 | 12x5116x50 | ALOISIA (NZ) | F | 3 | Aaron Purcell | 105 |
| 3 | 33x14921x8 | AONAIR | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 70 |
| 4 | 12×2893206 | BELLE DU NORD (NZ) | F | 3 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | – |
| 5 | 7×44010 | BLUE JAY WAY | F | 3 | Grahame Begg | – |
| 6 | 432102×23 | BRING ME ROSES | F | 3 | Tony McEvoy | 92 |
| 7 | 3711455×41 | BURDEN OF PROOF | F | 3 | Theresa Bateup | 59 |
| 8 | 32×324 | CAPPAMORE | F | 3 | Jason Coyle | – |
| 9 | 4123 | CARICATURE (NZ) | F | 3 | Tony Pike | – |
| 10 | 8x211x41 | CHILLY CHA CHA (NZ) | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 62 |
| 11 | – | CONTESSA VANESSA (NZ) | F | 3 | Graeme Rogerson | – |
| 12 | 1321×37 | DANCERS | F | 3 | Brad Widdup | 67 |
| 13 | 23 | DANZDANZDANCE | F | 3 | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | – |
| 14 | 61×3 | DISCREET CHARM | F | 3 | John P Thompson | 64 |
| 15 | 14×29 | EARTH ANGEL | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 65 |
| 16 | 326×3 | GLOBAL SANCTION | F | 3 | Grahame Begg | – |
| 17 | 4549 | GOLDEN LILY | F | 3 | John Sargent | – |
| 18 | 5336×13532 | GRAND THEFT AUTO | F | 3 | Edward O’Rourke | 57 |
| 19 | 212x | HASAHALO (NZ) | F | 3 | Stephen McKee | – |
| 20 | 1x7x43x | HIGH LOW BET | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 66 |
| 21 | 5x12343x | HIYAAM (NZ) | F | 3 | Mick Price | 85 |
| 22 | 2x655x527 | INDRABEEL (NZ) | F | 3 | Nigel Blackiston | – |
| 23 | 31 | INSPIRANTE (FR) | F | 3 | Aaron Purcell | – |
| 24 | 532x3x211 | ITALIA BELLA | F | 3 | Stuart Kendrick | – |
| 25 | 32 | JUNGLE FISH | F | 3 | Michael Kent | – |
| 26 | 7046×32 | JUST GORGEOUS | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 27 | 5x695x577 | LUDDENHAM LASS | F | 3 | Jeff Englebrecht | – |
| 28 | 1776214×6 | LUVALUVA (NZ) | F | 3 | John Sargent | 83 |
| 29 | 44 | MADAME MARKIEVICZ (NZ) | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | – |
| 30 | – | MARCELLINA (NZ) | F | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | – |
| 31 | 63×74223 | MARIA VICTORIA | F | 3 | John Sargent | – |
| 32 | 242x | MARK TWO (NZ) | F | 3 | Stephen Marsh | – |
| 33 | – | MILSEAIN (NZ) | F | 3 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | – |
| 34 | 066x8405x4 | MISS ADMIRATION | F | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 35 | 8221×352 | MISS KYEEMA | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 56 |
| 36 | 52402×221 | MISS LILLIAN | F | 3 | Mark Young | – |
| 37 | 21×673 | MISSYBEEL (NZ) | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 63 |
| 38 | 4 | NAIVASHA | F | 3 | Nigel Blackiston | – |
| 39 | 9x41199x31 | PANDEMONIUM | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 71 |
| 40 | 78x579x1 | PLAY THAT SONG | F | 3 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 41 | 2×956 | REALITY SHOW | F | 3 | Nigel Blackiston | – |
| 42 | 2×314 | RIDICULE | F | 3 | Brad Widdup | 68 |
| 43 | x221237x13 | RIMRAAM (NZ) | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 86 |
| 44 | 14 | ROLL OF THUNDER | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 45 | 9371121331 | SAVVY COUP (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael Pitman | – |
| 46 | 36x557x136 | SEANNIE | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 78 |
| 47 | 2×41 | SEMARI (NZ) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | – |
| 48 | 33×57 | SEMPER FIDELIS | F | 3 | Chris Waller | – |
| 49 | 1223 | SHUMOOKH | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 84 |
| 50 | 6×91 | SILENT ROAR | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 51 | 3x | SWING NOTE | F | 3 | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | – |
| 52 | 148 | TERRA SANCTA (NZ) | F | 3 | Tony Pike | – |
| 53 | 8×22 | THE PROMISE | F | 3 | John P Thompson | – |
| 54 | 14 | TO YOUR HEALTH | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 62 |
| 55 | 43x3253x27 | TOUCH OF MINK | F | 3 | Matthew Smith | 66 |
| 56 | 54319 | TREASURE (NZ) | F | 3 | Tony Pike | – |
| 57 | 72x111x0 | UNFORGOTTEN | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 78 |
| 58 | 7x356x1 | UNION DUES (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 59 | 33x82200x1 | UPTOWN GAL | F | 3 | Robbie Laing | – |
| 60 | 71160×8 | WATCHMESPIN | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | – |
| 61 | 0x11x | WEDGIE | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 66 |
| 62 | 3x4113x78x | WHISPERED SECRET | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 80 |
| 63 | 7 | WILD SEA | F | 3 | Michael Kent | – |
| 64 | 54x | YOUNGSTAR | F | 3 | Chris Waller | – |
