A total of 48 three-year-old fillies make-up the official 2021 Kennedy Oaks nominations for this season as the countdown to the premier staying races of the spring heats up.
Preview winner Barb Raider is one of the standout 2021 Kennedy Oaks nominations this spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Set to run on the third day of the coveted Melbourne Cup Carnival on Thursday November 4, this year’s Group 1 $1 million Kennedy VRC Oaks (2500m) drew just under 50 early entries.
Melbourne Cup winning horseman Danny O’Brien is in with four entries as he chases a second VRC Oaks win in three years following his 2019 success with Miami Bound.
Two of his fillies also hold a nomination for the previous Saturday’s Group 1 $2 million Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m), that time-honoured classic drawing 63 nominations this year including five fillies.
The two Derby – Oaks dual acceptors for O’Brien are Kapalua Sunset and his recent Listed Super Impose Stakes winner over 1800m at Flemington El Patroness.
Nicely-bred Tavistock filly Kapalua Sunset has had two starts and broke her maiden status last time out on September 21 at Kyneton over 1875m by a runaway seven lengths.
That performance shot her to the top of the all-in Kennedy Oaks odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au where she currently pays $6.
Her stablemate El Patroness, who defeated the all-in VRC Derby favourite Gunstock (3rd) in the Super Impose, follows closely on $8.
Between them at VRC Oaks odds of $7 post-nominations is Barb Raider for Mornington horseman Jerome Hunter.
Barb Raider is a daughter of the 2008 Victoria Derby winner Rebel Raider who claimed victory at 100/1.
She has had four runs for two wins to date, the latest an eye-catching two-length effort over Blackcomb at Flemington on September 22 over the 1800 as the odds-on favourite in the Kennedy Oaks Preview.
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott recently won the Oaks in Melbourne in 2017 with Pinot and they have three entries led by their upset Flight Stakes winner from last weekend Never Been Kissed.
Flight Stakes runner-up for Chris Waller, Hinged, is also Kennedy Oaks-nominated and is the sole entry for Waller who is yet to prepare a winner of the classic.
A start in the Oaks for the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Atlantic Jewel Stakes winner Zouzarella meanwhile will depend on whether she salutes for the punters as the favourite in next week’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
The Freedman’s have also entered their Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Elusive Express, and the two placegetters out of that mile showdown Yearning for Team Hawkes and Glint Of Hope for Busuttin & Young are also nominated for a potential rematch in the Oaks.
The 2021 Kennedy Oaks first acceptances close on Tuesday October 19 with the latest all-in markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au available in full here.
2021 Kennedy Oaks Nominations
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3211 | BARB RAIDER | F | 3 | Jerome Hunter | 1= | 56kg | ||
| 2 | 9x521x8 | GONNADANCEALOT | F | 3 | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | 1= | 56kg | ||
| 3 | 1191 | NEVER BEEN KISSED (NZ) | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 3 | 56kg | ||
| 4 | 112×211102 | HINGED | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 4 | 56kg | ||
| 5 | 1×231 | ELUSIVE EXPRESS (NZ) | F | 3 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 5 | 56kg | ||
| 6 | 112 | ZOUZARELLA | F | 3 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 6 | 56kg | ||
| 7 | 79×1751 | QUEEN OF DUBAI | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 7 | 56kg | ||
| 8 | 331 | EL PATRONESS | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 8 | 56kg | ||
| 9 | 5121×78 | BISCAYNE BAY | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 9 | 56kg | ||
| 10 | 25×4912 | YEARNING | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 10 | 56kg | ||
| 11 | 143×131 | BULLOO | F | 3 | Stuart Kendrick | 11 | 56kg | ||
| 12 | 3320×44343 | VIANELLO | F | 3 | James Cummings | 12 | 56kg | ||
| 13 | 8628×71655 | CHILL | F | 3 | Anthony Cummings | 13 | 56kg | ||
| 14 | 22444 | STALKING | F | 3 | James Cummings | 14 | 56kg | ||
| 15 | 1×67127 | DOUCEUR | F | 3 | Patrick Payne | 15 | 56kg | ||
| 16 | 422×2 | WHATAFOX | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 16 | 56kg | ||
| 17 | 66×125 | ADELE AMOUR | F | 3 | John Sadler | 17 | 56kg | ||
| 18 | 43×201 | ACHIRA | F | 3 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 18 | 56kg | ||
| 19 | 233 | GLINT OF HOPE (JPN) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 19 | 56kg | ||
| 20 | 3x72x214 | I LIKE BIG PUTTS | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 20 | 56kg | ||
| 21 | 724×31 | AUDREY GIRL | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 21 | 56kg | ||
| 22 | 2×3277 | MOKULUA | F | 3 | Clarry Conners | 22 | 56kg | ||
| 23 | 4×522 | BLACKCOMB | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 23 | 56kg | ||
| 24 | 4×4969 | STRAY | F | 3 | Anthony Cummings | 24 | 56kg | ||
| 25 | 45×515 | CHITABE (NZ) | F | 3 | David Payne | 25 | 56kg | ||
| 26 | 148 | ANCIENT GIRL (NZ) | F | 3 | Clinton McDonald | 26 | 56kg | ||
| 27 | 824×433 | TIZ MY BAY | F | 3 | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | 27 | 56kg | ||
| 28 | 31 | KAPALUA SUNSET (NZ) | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 28 | 56kg | ||
| 29 | 5x883x571 | KHAN’S TREASURE (NZ) | F | 3 | Barry Goodwin | 29 | 56kg | ||
| 30 | 456 | DAISIES | F | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 30 | 56kg | ||
| 31 | 61 | BURNING POWER | F | 3 | Patrick Payne | 31= | 56kg | ||
| 32 | 1 | PEARL RAIN | F | 3 | Patrick Payne | 31= | 56kg | ||
| 33 | 352 | WILLOWY | F | 3 | James Cummings | 33 | 56kg | ||
| 34 | 865x608x78 | LOVIN’ FEELIN’ | F | 3 | John Sargent | 34 | 56kg | ||
| 35 | 58×820 | GALACTIC ANGEL | F | 3 | Anthony Cummings | 35 | 56kg | ||
| 36 | 6×255 | GAME LEGEND | F | 3 | John Sadler | 36 | 56kg | ||
| 37 | 43×44 | MORRISSETTE | F | 3 | Simon Ryan | 37 | 56kg | ||
| 38 | 782 | DUNALLEY | F | 3 | David Brideoake | 38 | 56kg | ||
| 39 | 55×75 | DE LA FAYETTE | F | 3 | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | 39 | 56kg | ||
| 40 | 53 | ETEREA | F | 3 | Matt Cumani | 40 | 56kg | ||
| 41 | 44 | TRUSTED LADY (NZ) | F | 3 | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | 41 | 56kg | ||
| 42 | 746 | FABIOLA | F | 3 | Ken & Kasey Keys | 42 | 56kg | ||
| 43 | 7×76 | GRINZINGER QUEEN | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 43= | 56kg | ||
| 44 | 7x | I’M DIVINE | F | 3 | Edward Cummings | 43= | 56kg | ||
| 45 | 7 | KINTSUGI BELLE (NZ) | F | 3 | Henry Dwyer | 43= | 56kg | ||
| 46 | 70×0 | MAGIC MIA | F | 3 | Dean S Smith | 43= | 56kg | ||
| 47 | 5 | POWER OF SONG | F | 3 | Symon Wilde | 43= | 56kg | ||
| 48 | 5 | VANCOUVER RAIN | F | 3 | Matt Cumani | 43= | 56kg |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
