The Group III Darley Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Oaks day has attracted a full field of fillies with mouthwatering pedigrees.
In a wide-open market, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained debutant Spicy Margs is the lukewarm favourite.
A $340,000 Magic Millions purchase by her trainers from the Daandine Stud consignment, Spicy Margs is the second foal of the stakes-placed Helmet mare Crossing The Abbey, a Flemington winner and runner-up in the Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies).
Another debutant the Annabel Neasham-trained Choisir filly Empress Of Wonder is well fancied.
A $100,000 purchase for Annabel Neasham Racing/Brian McGuire from the Ducatoon Park draft at the Adelaide Magic Millions, Empress Wonder is a half-sister to Listed Silk Stocking runner-up Wonderful Liri who was second at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.
The millionaire class is represented by another Price/Kent runner in Charm Stone, who showed ability on debut when third in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes.
That was the first repayment on the $1,550,000 shelled out by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) for Charm Stone at the Gold Coast.
Consigned by Emirates Park, the daughter of I Am Invincible is a sister to dual Listed winner Najmaty out of the quality Northern Meteor mare Najoom who won five, including a pair of Group IIIs and was runner-up twice in a seven-start career.
The first season sires Harry Angel (IRE), and Bolt d’Oro (USA) are represented by Angelique and Lindelago, respectively.
Zoustar has a couple of high-priced yearlings in Celestial Storm and the first emergency Zousuko.
Waterhouse-Bott have the fancied Russian Revolution filly La Demoiselle, and Melbourne Cup-winning trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustice have the Snitzel debutant Tabata Set.
Godolphin’s two-year-olds are up and running, and the blue will be represented by the Sidestep filly Abstruse and third emergency Remedies, a son of Sepoy and Virage de Fortune.
Tony & Calvin McEvoy have a likely type in the Extreme Choice filly Capulet and Ben & JD Hayes have the Pierro filly Optume who was a promising third on debut in the Inglis Banner.
A race chockful of interest.
