Too Darn Discreet out to overcome recent history in VRC Oaks at Flemington
Too Darn Discreet will need to overcome negative recent history if she is to win Thursday’s $1m VRC Oaks at Flemington.
Horse Racing
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In-form filly Too Darn Discreet will need to buck a trend to win Thursday’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.
Too Darn Discreet has rapidly progressed in the spring, going from a maiden winner to a Group 2 win before confirming herself as an Oaks contender with her win in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield.
“She’s come from a maiden to run on two major race days and she’s going into this race with a live chance,” Too Darn Discreet’s trainer Dan O’Sullivan said.
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However, Pinot was the last Oaks winner out of the Ethereal Stakes when she saluted in 2017.
Only three of the last 20 Oaks winners emerged from the Ethereal Stakes with most having their final lead-up run in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes on Victoria Derby Day.
O’Sullivan was happy with his decision to head to Caulfield instead of Flemington.
“I’m pretty happy with her going into the race in the condition she’s in,” O’Sullivan said.
“Her work at home has been good.
“It was my choice not to run here on Saturday and I was pretty happy to make it.”
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O’Sullivan said there was a negative to last Saturday’s Wakeful Stakes despite his filly bypassing the race in which Treasurethe Moment defeated Powers Of Opal.
The Wakeful Stakes result prompted Ladbrokes to install Treasurethe Moment as the $3.70 favourite in Oaks betting.
Punters have since backed Treasurethe Moment into $3.20 with Powers Of Opal at $3.60 and Too Darn Discreet at $8.
“The first two home in the Wakeful were impressive and that’s the thing I’m probably a little bit disappointed about is the ones that she has been competing against weren’t competitive in the Wakeful,” O’Sullivan said.
The 2500m distance of the Oaks is a perennial question as none of the runners have raced over the journey.
O’Sullivan said Too Darn Discreet’s work at his Ballarat base as well as barrier three should give the three-year-old every chance to see out the trip.
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“I’m pretty happy with her going into the race in the condition she’s in,” O’Sullivan said.
“She’s just got a very good constitution. She’s very tough and all the work that I’ve given her, she’s handled.
“I think she’ll run the 2500(m) out nicely, especially since she’s drawn barrier three. She’ll get a nice soft run from that barrier.
“But, as we know at this time of the year, sometimes it’s not the best stayer, it’s the classiest horse.
“This is our biggest test, and everything is going nicely.”
Jockey Michael Dee will stick with Too Darn Discreet after winning the Ethereal stakes on her.
Originally published as Too Darn Discreet out to overcome recent history in VRC Oaks at Flemington
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