The VRC Oaks 2024 on November 7 is calling for the airborne Too Darn Discreet who wouldn’t race straight but still dug deep showing plenty of guts to claim the Group 3 $200,000 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day.

Jockey Michael Dee made it a double in the three-year-old features on the card backing up from his tight win on Derby hope Kingofwallstreet in the Caulfield Classic to get the job done on the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Too Darn Hot filly Too Darn Discreet in the girls’ equivalent.

Killcare Beachgirl led the Ethereal field around rated up front by jockey Tim Clark who tried to go all-the-way before the leader faded the closing stages on the home straight.

Dee meanwhile had Too Darn Discreet, coming off back-to-back lead-up wins including the Group 2 Edward Manifold over the Flemington mile on Turnbull Stakes Day, up on speed fourth one-off the fence.

He moved up to get air on the eventual Ethereal Stakes winner taking his filly three wide to move up and challenge approaching the turn.

She was hanging in badly giving Dee plenty of riding to try and keep her straight but hit the lead 200m out, gave a lovely kick and proved too good despite still doing plenty wrong.

On the line she had a neck to spare over the improving Team Hayes-trained Jenni’s Meadow who came off the back of Too Darn Discreet but just couldn’t get there.

In third also off an on-speed run was the Phillip Stokes-trained Femminile.

“A good tough win,” winning trainer O’Sullivan told Racing.com.

“She travels into the race like she’s going to put them away, and then she wants to lug in and do a few things wrong. So, there should be more to offer.”

Potential next-up spring runs for Too Darn Discreet include the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Derby Day and or the Oaks on the Thursday after the Melbourne Cup.

“Certainly considering the Oaks, especially the way she is, as tough as what she is, the Wakeful has proved over the years to be the form race that you need to run in to get to the Oaks,” O’Sullivan confirmed.

“So, this run will probably take a bit out of her, so we’ll see how she recovers.

“We’ll enjoy the moment today first and think about what we’ll do going ahead.

“If you had probably thought after her run at Moonee Valley first up that you’re going to pick up two stakes races in the next month, it’s nearly job done, she can go and have a break now, come back for the Autumn, but we don’t see many fillies staying at the moment, so we might keep going.”

Set Square (2014) and Pinot (2017) are the only fillies to complete the Ethereal Stakes – VRC Oaks double.

The all-in 2024 VRC Oaks betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au on Too Darn Discreet to be the next have her as the firming $5 co-favourite with Powers Of Opal.

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