The Chris Waller domination of the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival will roll on at Doomben on Saturday with Youngstar heading the team at the top of the betting for the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Aloisia, above, is one of the main chances in the 2018 Queensland Oaks at Doomben. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Sydney’s premier trainer saddled up the quinella with Comin’ Through and Egg Tart in last Saturday’s Group 1 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) while the previous week at Doomben the Waller trained Youngstar and Another Dollar ran one, two in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Millions The Roses (2000m).
Youngstar was immediately installed as the 2018 Queensland Oaks favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au and still holds that position at $3.10 on race eve ahead of her stablemate Another Dollar at $5.50.
Waller has been contemplating putting the blinkers on Youngstar for the Queensland Oaks but after consulting with The Roses winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy, the High Chaparral filly will race with no added gear.
“It was too big a risk for a Group One race and she will race the same way she did in the Roses,” Waller told AAP.
Youngstar has risen quickly up through the ranks and made it a hat trick of wins in The Roses after only breaking her maiden status two starts earlier at Hawkesbury before winning a BenchMark 68 Handicap (1885m) at Newcastle.
“Youngstar has won three in a row and winning with a bit of arrogance,” Waller said.
“To go from a provincial winner to Group 2 winner in one start takes a lot of talent, so I’d have a slight leaning to Youngstar, but Another Dollar will keep her honest.”
Another Dollar also showed her Queensland Oaks credentials after sticking on for a solid second in The Roses after setting the pace.
On the third line of betting at $6.50 is the Ciaron Maher trained Aloisia who has been struggling to find her 2017 Spring Carnival form that saw her win the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
Aloisia’s latest outing saw her finish sixth to Sopressa in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Oaks (Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville on May 5 while runner up Sheezdashing ($8) and seventh placed Waller trained Savacool ($7) have also made the trip up from Adelaide while Waller will also saddle up outsiders Miss Shanti at $41 and Impulsive at $67.
