The ultimate staying test for the fillies is upon us and the Kiwis have sent their best to raid the ATC Australian Oaks. Join us here on The Roar from 2.30pm AEST for full coverage and live blog of the race.
Throughout the season, the fillies competition today have been asked to take a back seat to the boom crop of three-year-olds who have commanded headlines with their dominant performances.
Although today’s field is not the strongest in the race’s history, there are a few good stories in the making.
Dear Demi will be attempting to pull of the VRC Oaks – ATC Oaks double but her form this campaign has been a touch worrying.
This has not dissuaded the punters, who believe Clarry Conners who has been persisting this as her target throughout the season.
Unlike most runners in this field, Dear Demi is a proven stayer over this distance.
Identical to her last campaign, she has only won one race leading into today so her form can be forgiven a little.
She ran fifth behind Norzita, Longport and Habibbi a fortnight ago in the Storm Queen but it was a very respectable run after finding herself at the tail of the field entering the straight.
Despite running well in the Storm Queen where she fought all the way to the post with Norzita, Longport has not been given much respect here with good reason.
By Casino Prince, she is not known for his staying blood and Longport’s staying power in the Storm Queen was a surprise to just about everyone.
Out of that race, Habibi has harnessed the most attention after making ground on the fence, a task few achieved on the day, to finish third. Claiming favouritism according to the bookies, Habibi is one of two New Zealand raiders.
She has won six of her eight starts, two of which have come in distances over 2000m.
It’s been an extremely long campaign for the New Zealand Derby winner who has not had a proper spell beyond a six week break before resuming again.
It’s a big ask for fillies to run the testing campaigns that Habibi has but I said the same thing a fortnight ago and she ran 2000m looking quite fresh.
The second of the New Zealand raiders is More Than Sacred who won the New Zealand Oaks in her last start.
Similarly to Habibi, she has been through the entire New Zealand season and will be lining up in her seventh start this preparation today.
We have not seen her run in Australia before and none of her form lines up with Habibi so she looks to be the smokey of the race as a proven stayer.
There has been a lot of attention throughout the week on Royal Descent who had never been expected to take part in the Oaks but after progressing through the lower ranks, she took out the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes last week.
Stepping up to Group 1 class for the first time, the short seven day back up may pose a problem for the Redoute’s Choice filly that lacks the Group 1 experience others in the field possess.
This race has a habit of throwing up strange results but based on the handful of horses that are tried and tested at the 2400m distance, there won’t be a blowout result.
Tips
Alfred Chan
1. Dear Demi
2. More Than Sacred
3. Habibi
4. Gondokoro
Justin Cinque
1. Habibi
2. Summerbliss
3. Longport
4. Dear Demi
Cameron Rose
1. Dear Demi
2. Longport
3. Habibi
4. More Than Sacred
Andrew Hawkins
1. More Than Sacred
2. Summerbliss
3. Dear Demi
4. Habibi
Alfred Chan
Expert
Next on the card is our feature race, The Doncaster Handicap. Join our coverage here: http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/04/20/2013-doncaster-handicap-horse-racing-preview-live-blog-tips/
Alfred Chan
Expert
Royal Descent saved a lot of ground to win as a $3.50 chance and shot away down the center of the track. She won by more than It's A Dundeel did last week. Wow! She backs up after winning the Adrian Knox and what a dominant win! Nice run from Gondokoro who came from last to run third. Habibi was hard ridden about 600m back and just didn't handle the ground.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Zucotto is the last one in, And they're off!!! All jumped well, More Than Sacred takes the lead on the inside from Longport, Zucotto now shoots across to the front, Summerbliss behind the leaders, Dear Demi second from last, Gondokoro last, More Than Sacred leads from Zucotta and Longport, She's A Girl on the fence from Summerbliss, Habibi is third last but next to her is Dear Demi, It's a moderate tempo, Habibi now pulling out from the back, Dear Demi goes with her, More Than Sacred still leads from Zucotto and Longport, Royal Descent has made lots of ground ont he inside to fourt, Entering the staright, Royal Descent takes the lead from Longport, Royal Descent is in front by about eight lenghts, Dear Demi about eight lengths back from Gondokoro and Habibi. Wow!
Alfred Chan
Expert
Loading in now. Habibi to start favourite from Royal Descent.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Getting ready now. Runners are behind the gates and getting ready to be loaded. I'm still on Dear Demi who is attempting to be the 14th horse to win the VRC - ATC Oaks double.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Richie Callandar says he is unloading on Habibi. He's been in great form today!
Alfred Chan
Expert
A nice coat on She's a Girl. Zucotto, very small. I don't give her a chance.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Wind Bender looks like she just woke up.
Alfred Chan
Expert
More Than Scared looks great! She's quite muscly. Summerbliss looks nice. She's keeping her head down but looks fit and parading nicely. Gondokoro not happy in the yard at all.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Dear Demi looks great and alert in the yard. Habibi is a big girl! She won the New Zealand Derby against the boys when More Than Sacred stuck ti the Oaks against her own gender. Longport has her ankles strapped after something went amiss last week. Royal Descent is a skinny filly. Not sure if she'll go well on the wet here.
Alfred Chan
Expert
In the preview, I said that this was quite a weak race but I think I may need to retract that comment. In this race, of 11 runners, three have won beyond 2000m at Group 1 level. It's actually not too bad. Those fillies are Dear Demi, Habibi and More Than Sacred.
Alfred Chan
Expert
There's a surprising trickle of money coming for Royal Descent on the betting exchange. Someone must know something I don't! There is no love for Dear Demi who continues to drift.
Alfred Chan
Expert
If you're a fan of precedence, historically, the best form race for the Oaks is the Storm Queen, aka The Vinery Stud. Norzita won that race from Longport, Habibi, Gondokoro and Dear Demi. Based on that, Longport deserves a lot more respect than the $10 on offer today. He did comfortably beat Habibi.
Alfred Chan
Expert
From barrier 3, Vinnie Colgan will be given a full book of options and I suspect he'll nestle just behind the leaders. Dear Demi from barrier 6 will sit midfield.
Alfred Chan
Expert
No one is going to want to lead today, so the two outsiders, Zucotto and She's A Girl are likely to push forward early and set a fair tempo.
Alfred Chan
Expert
We have only seen one run from Habibi and it was impressive. Justin Cinque yesterday made a comment considering Habibi a moral. That makes things interesting, but he knows his horses! He's correctly predicted the market and from Habibi's two runs on a slow tack, she has finished first and third.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Money coming for Habibi.
Alfred Chan
Expert
So that means the next race on our card is the Australian Oaks which will jump at 3.35pm.
Alfred Chan
Expert
If you're looking for some punting form today, Cam Rose backed the trifecta in the Australian Derby (same race equivalent for the boys) last week. Today he likes Dear Demi from Longport, Habibi and More Than Sacred.
Alfred Chan
Expert
We've just run the JRA Plate over 2000m and Kelinni has won carrying 60kg in the wet. A great effort and Chris Waller was adamant he needed one run before the Sydney Cup. He'll back up in seven days when he attempts the Sydney Cup, likely to be carrying the top weight. He won from Fibrillation and Pirate Bay.