The race to be crowned the nation’s premier three-year-old filly will reach a dramatic climax this Friday night at Moonee Valley in the 2006 Nevele R Stud Australian Oaks.
The winners of the Victorian, Queensland, Western Australian, Tasmanian and South Australian Oaks will all come together in the $75,000 Group 1 classic in what shapes as a season highlight and a promoter’s dream.
New South Wales-trained Tasmanian Oaks winner Threepence has been installed the $4 pre-post favourite after drawing the coveted pole for popular young trainer Lizzie Heath.
Her arch-rival and fellow NSW pacer Vixen Hanover ($4.20) will prove hardest to topple from barrier three. The noted smart beginner is striving to emulate the deeds of Innocent Eyes who completed the prized Victorian and Australian Oaks double 12 months ago.
Carrying the hopes of a hometown victory is perennial crowd favourite Jadah Rose ($4.50, pictured). The triple Group 1 winner has drawn awkwardly in barrier eight, but her renowned fortitude and enviable will to win could prove telling over the testing 2575-metre journey.
Queensland speedster All Promises ($8), drawn perfectly in barrier two, will garner plenty of respect too after claiming her home state Oaks last weekend. The engagement of local driving ace Gavin Lang – who won this race last year – could prove a telling move.
The wildcard is Western Australia’s glamour girl Dilingers Reign (barrier five, $8) who’ll be making her first appearance since demolishing her rivals in the WA Oaks in early May.
The full line-up for the $75,000 Nevele R Stud Australian Oaks (Group 1), to be run at 9.42pm (EST) this Friday at Moonee Valley, is;
| 1 |
| THREEPENCE (NSW) | E. HEATH | JOHN OGDEN | $4.00 |
| 2 |
| ALL PROMISES (QLD) | S. PRICE | GAVIN LANG | $8.00 |
| 3 |
| VIXEN HANOVER (NSW) | C. FURINA | JOEL PENGILLY | $4.20 |
| 4 |
| DANCE A RAINBOW (VIC) | J. DAVIES | CHRIS ALFORD | Emerg |
| 5 |
| DILINGERS REIGN (WA) | N. KEILEY | KIM PRENTICE | $8.00 |
| 6 |
| ARTIFICIAL (VIC) | J. JOBE | JOHN CALDOW | $13 |
| 7 |
| SECRET LIFE (VIC) | P. MANNING | KERRYN MANNING | $41 |
| -------------Second Row------------------------- | |
| 8 |
| JADAH ROSE (VIC) | M. THOMPSON | JOHN F RYAN | $4.50 |
| 9 |
| LADY WARATAH (NSW) | B. KELLY | BRUCE HARPLEY | $11 |
| 10 |
| YOKAS (NSW) | J. TAPP | GREG BENNETT | $9.00 |
| 11 |
| FRANS JEWEL (VIC) | G. TIPPET | DARYL DOUGLAS | $67 |
| 12 |
| QUEENS GAMBIT (VIC) | A, DONOHOE | ALAN DONOHOE | $26 |
