The money is starting to come in hard and fast for Pat Carey’s promising Zabeel filly Gondokoro to get the better of favourite Dear Demi in Saturday’s Queensland Oaks 2013 despite having been beaten by the Crown Oaks winner on three previous occasions.
Gondokoro opened at around $4 in the 18-filly betting markets for the $400,000 Group 1 XXXX Gold Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm but has since been smashed by the punters shortening into $3.60.
She is now just shorter than the Clarry Conners-trained The Roses winner Dear Demi who is narrow top fancy at $3.40.
Dear Demi has had Gondokoro’s measure in three of their four runs against one another including the first in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington last November which Conners’ filly won while the latter finished seventh.
They met again in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day with Dear Demi finishing fifth to Gondokoro’s fourth before the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in April where the pair finishing second (Dear Demi) and third (Gondokoro) respectively well back from the runaway winner Royal Descent who thrived on the Heavy (10) track.
Their most recent showdown was at Doomben on May 18 with Dear Demi only just holding off Gondokoro to win the Group 3 The Roses (2000m) by a nose.
While The Roses winner backed up in the Grand Prix Stakes last Saturday against the boys running sixth, Carey gave Gondokoro a rest and she now has freshness in her favour for round five according to her trainer.
“I have a healthy respect for Dear Demi,” he said.
“Certainly she has the score on the board against us but if we had of had any sort of luck last start we might have levelled it up.”
So can the rails-drawn Gondokoro finally take down Dear Demi and be crowned this year’s Queensland Oaks winner? Or will she be playing the bridesmaid once again?
#4 Gondokoro – Horse Form
- Barrier: 1
- Jockey: Rhys McLeod
- Trainer: Pat Carey
- Owners: Wyadup Valley Farm
- Age: 3YO
- Gender: Filly
- Breeding: by Zabeel from Kisumu
- Career: 12-1-1-2
- Win: 8.33%
- Place: 33.33%
- Last 6: x71432
- Prize Money: $161,610
- Track: 0-0-0-0
- Distance: 1-0-0-1
- Current 2013 Queensland Oaks Odds: $3.60
Yes – Gondokoro Can Defeat Dear Demi in the QLD Oaks 2013
- Should get the run of the race from barrier one which produced last year’s winner Quintessential as well as three other Queensland Oaks champions since 1983
- Regular rider Rhys McLeod stays on and knows the filly well
- Bred for the distance being a daughter of Zabeel
- Is also New Zealand-bred and out to become the fourth filly bred across the Tasman to win the Queensland Oaks in as many years
- One of the few to have seen the distance before and run top three when third in the Australian Oaks
- Defeated by Dear Demi in The Roses by just a nose and gets an extra 400m to turn the tables here
- Improving with each run this time in as she goes up in distance
- Historically not winning The Roses works in a filly’s favour with just one completing the double in the past 10 years but six other Queensland Oaks winners coming off a run in the Doomben race including Quintessential (4th) last year
- Can handle a wet track
No – Gondokoro Won’t Win the 2013 QLD Oaks
- While statistically barrier one is ideal in the Queensland Oaks, if it is a Heavy track the inside could be treacherous
- Has the equal worst Win Rate of the field with 8.33% having won just one of her 12 starts to date
- Beaten by Dear Demi in three of their four previous encounters to date
- Yet to race in Queensland
Think Gondokoro is worth an Each Way bet on Oaks Day? Then lock her in at the best price online now at bookmaker.com.au where you can also Pick Your Own Odds on all the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival races over the coming weeks.
