Ballet Suite Spot-on For Queensland Oaks
- Sunday, 24 May 2015 08:40
The leading Queensland Oaks contenders have taken very different paths to the Classic at Doomben.
Second favourite Ballet Suite tuned up for Saturday's Group One race with a slashing gallop at the Gold Coast.
Trainer Chris Waller scratched Ballet Suite from Saturday's Group Three Roses (2020m) at Doomben because he did not want to overtax her at the end of a long campaign.
The filly instead worked over 600 metres in an exhibition gallop between races on Saturday at the Gold Coast.
Gold Coast race caller and clocker Steve Hawkins was impressed with the work-out.
"I think it was as good as the work of Starcraft here a decade ago when he went on to win a Group One at his next start. Ballet Suite's effort was a great pointer to the Oaks," Hawkins said.
Waller has the Oaks favourite Winx, the winner of the Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m).
The Roses (2020m) was won by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Bohemian Lily who led most of the way to beat Col `N' Lil by four lengths.
Waterhouse is confident Bohemian Lily can outsay the Waller pair in Saturday's 2200m race while trainer Ben Currie was boosted by the performance of the runner-up.
"She was beaten a long way but she was caught deep in the middle stages and then she had to do the chasing to take the field up to Bohemian Lily," Currie said.
Whatalovelyday ran third and her trainer Jon Walk is hoping for rain.
"It was a good Oaks trial but top be realistic I would like rain to bring the favourites back to us," Walk said.
New Zealand Oaks runner-up Platinum Witness ran sixth and jockey Damian Browne said she would benefit from her first experience racing in a clockwise direction.
"She was on the wrong leg the whole way," Browne said.
