 |
|
With this season's newly crowned Group I winning fillies Norzita and Commanding Jewel both heading to the spelling paddock, the Group I $1million VRC Oaks at Flemington on November 8 is looking like a wide open race and the Listed MRC Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday may hold the key to finding the winner.
The majority of these fillies are stepping up to 2000 metres for the first time and some of them are bred to start hitting their straps right about now.
| RACE 4 N.Z. B'stock Ethereal Stakes Open | |||||||
| 1 Donna Cattiva (NZ) Captain Rio (GB) x Nishaani (NZ) | 2011 NZB Premier Yearling, NZ (458) | Westbury Stud | DANNY O'BRIEN RACING |
$310,000 |
|||
| 2 Transonic Casino Prince x Jet Past (SAF) | |||||||
| 3 Cameo Shamardal (USA) x Portrait Of A Lady (USA) | |||||||
| 4 Ireland's Teardrop Fastnet Rock x Isolda (NZ) | |||||||
| 5 Nextess Stratum x Regal Tess | 2011 Inglis Premier Yearling, NSW (225) | Bombora Downs, Bitte | MOODY RACING PTY LTD |
$85,000 |
|||
| 6 Operation Twist Testa Rossa x Ms Guacamolee (USA) | |||||||
| 7 Kate (NZ) St Reims (NZ) x Dutowin (NZ) | 2011 NZB Festival Yearling, NZ (1397) | Bluegables Farm | PSD$8K RES$10K | ||||
| 8 Alzora Redoute's Choice x Bryce Canyon (USA) | 2011 MM Gold Coast Yearling, Qld (35) | Emirates Park Pty Lt | MARK PILKINGTON BLOO |
$115,000 |
|||
| 9 Keep De Rose (NZ) Keeper x Grove Nymph (NZ) | 2011 NZB Premier Yearling, NZ (350) | Cambridge Stud | BLUESKY THOROUGHBRED |
$135,000 |
|||
| 10 Madam Archer Red Dazzler x Madam Curie (NZ) | 2011 MM Gold Coast Yearling, Qld (310) | Eureka Thoroughbreds | PETER FORD THOROUGHB |
$160,000 |
|||
| 11 Zuccotto Quest For Fame (GB) x La Zabaglione | |||||||
| 12 Summerbliss Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Distinctly (IRE) | 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling, NSW (221) | Coolmore Stud, Jerry | DERMOT FARRINGTON BL |
$190,000 |
|||
| 13 Ten Black Al Maher x Madam's Way (NZ) | 2011 Inglis Premier Yearling, NSW (108) | Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | MATTHEW HYLAND RACIN |
$40,000 |
|||
| 14 Di Lusso Lonhro x Doduo | 2011 NZB Premier Yearling, NZ (280) | Westbury Stud | M G PRICE RACING & B |
$200,000 |
|||
| 15 Zazparella Al Maher x Zecchino | 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling, NSW (343) | Emirates Park, Murru | PAUL MORONEY BLOODST |
$30,000 |
|||
| 16 Gondokoro (NZ) Zabeel (NZ) x Kisumu | |||||||
Top pick to excel at the trip on pedigree is Summerbliss, whose only start has yielded a strong win over 1600 metres at Cranbourne for the Mick Kent stable.
Craig Williams rode her that day and retains the ride and that's probably a tip in itself.
A $190,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft, Summerbliss (pictured Racepix Vic) was purchased by Irish bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington for Black Caviar's breeder Rick Jamieson of Gilgai Farm and the combination have already tasted Oaks success with another Inglis Easter purchase in Absolutely, who won the Group I AJC Australian Oaks last year.
Summerbliss is by Danehill Dancer (IRE), who has already sired a VRC Oaks winner in Arapaho Miss and is from unraced Sadler's Wells mare Distinctly (IRE), who comes from a European family packed with staying stakes-winners including Group I winner Infamy.
Not easy to win a stakes race at your second start, but if she's the Oaks filly connections believe her to be, Summerbliss will need to run in the top four.
Lightly raced Darley homebred Cameo makes plenty of appeal, her sire Shamardal (USA) already with a VRC Oaks winner on the board in Faint Perfume.
Her dam Portrait of a Lady is by champion US sire AP Indy, whose stock usually excel in the US classics and she is a grand-daughter of Group I Irish Oaks winner Alydaress.
New Zealand bred Keep de Rose is an obvious watch horse being by Keeper, a noted sire of Oaks fillies from the Grosvenor mare Grove Nymph, a half-sister to Group I winners Field Dancer and Just a Dancer.
Everything about the pedigree of this Danny O'Brien trained filly screams Oaks, so expect to see a good run despite this being only her third start following a second and win at the provincials.
Others that may find the trip to their liking include Madam Archer (her grand-dam was high class NZ Sir Tristram mare Our Cure, who was second in the NZ Derby), Ten Black (from the family of Surround, Beau Zam, etc) and Gondokoro( sister to Group I SA Derby winner Zabeelionaire).
|
