VRC Oaks 2020: Personal simply dynamic as Damien Oliver racks up sixth VRC Oaks triumph
Champion jockey Damien Oliver now has a sixth VRC Oaks triumph thanks to a superb staying performance by filly Personal in the Group 1 feature at Flemington.
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Lindsay Park filly Personal has won the Group 1 $1 million VRC Oaks at Flemington.
Unleashed by Damien Oliver at the clocktower, the Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes-trained Personal outstayed her rivals to beat home Salto Angel and odds-on favourite Monteffilla.
It was the co-trainers’ first Group 1 success together since David Hayes departed the Euroa operation to take up a trainer’s residency in Hong Kong.
“They delivered the goods. Probably gave me as big a thrill as any of my Group 1 wins. It was a great achievement from them and the whole team,” a visibly proud David Hayes said from Hong Kong.
Personal found the Adelaide filly Victoria Quay too strong in last Saturday’s Wakeful Stakes. However, Victoria Quay’s absence and changed riding tactics contributed to Personal’s improvement in the Oaks.
Damien Oliver let Personal ($6) settle in the second half of the field before his cool timing gave Personal the last crack at the fading leaders Salto Angel ($21) and the $1.80 favourite Montefilia to win his sixth VRC Oaks.
“It was a good tough effort. It was a real slog, the last four or five hundred metres with the second and third horses,” Oliver said.
“The second and third horses seemed to have my measure early in the straight, but she outstayed them in the end. She was really tough.”
Personal’s win was also the first Group 1 win for Lindsay Park since the team’s senior member departed for Hong Kong.
“It’s so good to do it with Tom and I know that Dad back in Hong Kong would be super excited,” Ben Hayes said.
Montefilia’s jockey Hugh Bowman gave her every chance to see out the 2500m of the VRC Oaks. The David Payne-trained filly travelled behind the leaders before Bowman took her wider to avoid a tiring runner at the 500m.
Montefilia saw out 2400m of the gruelling journey but the last 100m was beyond her.
“I think the trip found her out to be honest,” Montefilia’s jockey Hugh Bowman said.
Danny O’Brien went within 1 ¼ lengths of back-to-back wins in the VRC Oaks with Salto Angel’s game second.
“She’s been beaten by the better filly on the day,” O’Brien said.
“We’ve had this race in mind for 12 months and she’s got here on the day and performed, but unfortunately we’ve run second.”
Melbourne Cup Day ended in frustration and tragedy for Coolmore but Oaks Day showed how quickly fortunes can turn in racing.
Coolmore lost its 2019 Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck in a tragic accident in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup while the stable’s other runner Tiger Moth finished a long neck from giving Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien his maiden win in the great race.
However, the Australian arm of Coolmore’s worldwide operation provided a boost for the team two days later when Personal simply outstayed her opposition in the VRC Oaks.
OAKS DAY REWIND
By Clinton Payne
The $1 million Group 1 Kennedy VRC Oaks was the main event on day three of the 2020 Melbourne Cup carnival and here is a blow-by-blow coverage of all the support races.
RACE 1: TCL TV 3&4YO F&M Benchmark 70 Stakes (1700m)
Tralee Rose outstayed her opponents to give Warrnambool trainer Simon Wilde his first winner of the 2020 Melbourne Cup carnival in the Oaks day opener at Flemington on Thursday.
Tralee Rose is bred on the same cross as last Saturday’s Victoria Derby winner Johnny Get Angry, being a daughter of Tavistock (NZ) out of a Zabeel (NZ) sired mare, Star Of Tralee.
The lightly raced four-year-old showed her staying qualities when powering through the line to claim her second win over the 1700m distance.
Tralee Rose’s victory gave winning rider Kerrin McEvoy his 49th Melbourne Cup carnival success at Flemington.
“I think she’s got a really bright future and the further she goes the better she’s going to get,” Wilde said.
“She’s a really late maturing horse. A lot to look forward to. I’m really excited to see where she can land.”
Tralee Rose started at $4.20 while the $2.90 favourite November Dreaming was unplaced.
Tralee Rose wins her second start on the bounce in the Oaks Day opener for @wilde_racing and @KPMcEvoy at @FlemingtonVRC. pic.twitter.com/rmtQFUrKzq
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
RACE 2: $200,000 Group 3 Darley Ottawa 2YOF Stakes (1000m)
The Grahame Begg-trained Dosh produced a performance laced with pure speed to make a winning debut in the Listed two-year-old race.
The daughter of Rich Enuff almost through the race away over the latter stages, running out away from the rail but as she crossed the line, she held a narrow nose advantage.
In an interesting twist, the horse that got closest to Dosh at the post was Nice For What, the half-sister to the dominant VRC Oaks favourite Montefilia.
Dosh jumped as the equal $5.50 favourite with Fake Love which finished fourth.
Begg said Dosh possesses similar, if not more ability to his classy juvenile of last season Mildred.
“She’s shown us very natural ability from the first day we started to do a bit of work with her,” Begg said.
“She’s out of a great family, goes back to Bold Promise, Dear Demi and Capitalist are all out of the same family, Merline so it’s a great fillies family.”
Begg said Dosh will go for a break to be targeted at rich two-year-old races in the new year. She was a $155,000 purchase from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
It was a debutant performance you won't forget. Dosh was green as anything and almost gave it away but remarkably Jordan Childs managed to straighten her up to win the G3 Darley Ottawa Stakes. 👀 pic.twitter.com/YfrBliWlae
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
RACE 3:- $175,000 Listed G.H Mumm Century Stakes (1000m)
Group 1 targets appear likely in 2021 for Ancestry after the gelding led throughout to remain undefeated in four runs this preparation.
The Phillip Stokes-trained son of The Brothers War improved his record to eighth victories from 12 starts since joining the Pakenham-based trainer’s team.
Ancestry started the $3.20 favourite.
“He just ticked over another (task),” Stokes said. “The straight is not a problem and geez he’s a fast horse and he’s going great.
“He’ll go to the paddock now.”
The win gave local apprentice Michael Poy his first win of the 2020 Melbourne Cup carnival after finishing third aboard Rock in last Saturday’s Group 1 Cantala Stakes.
The Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield in February has been floated as a likely aim for Ancestry next year.
The honour role for the Century Stakes is a proven source of modern day Group 1 Australian sprinters with Redzel (2016), The Quarterback (2015) and Lankan Rupee (2013) all past winners of the race. Ball Of Muscle also won the race in 2017.
Ancestry glides to victory with absolute ease in the Listed G.H. Mumm Century Stakes.
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
What a thrill for Michael Poy to win a Listed race on Oaks Day. pic.twitter.com/9XEh5bVToN
RACE 4: Twitter 4YO+ Benchmark 90 Trophy (1800m)
A horse by the same sire as Verry Elleegant landed a blow at Flemington.
The Brent Scott-trained Irish Flame chalked up his eighth win when outstaying his opponents in the 1800m handicap.
“That was a really good win,” Scott said. “I thought halfway down the straight he might be a bit of a sitting duck but when that horse challenged, he fought hard.
“He’s going great.”
Scott said the Ballarat Cup awaits Irish Flame, which was ridden by Daniel Stackhouse who replaced the injured Michael Walker who was stood down due to a back injury.
Irish Flame started at $8.50 while the $3.50 favourite Tinandali was unplaced in sixth.
Irish Flame is by the unfashionable New Zealand-based staying influence Zed – the sire of Group 1 heroine Verry Elleegant and another Group 1 winner Survived.
Zed’s stallion career is one of the great racing stories.
After a couple of seasons at stud he was unwanted and sent to a South Island farm called Erewhon (read it backwards) Station where he spent a couple of years serving mostly Clydesdales with a couple of thoroughbreds thrown in before the early stock from the blue blooded son of Zabeel started to deliver on the racecourse.
A lovely ride from Daniel Stackhouse sees Irish Flame hold off Hang Man to win the Twiter Trophy.
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
Tinandali couldn't get going from a sticky position. pic.twitter.com/40vtV8USXs
RACE 5: Off The Track Subzero Benchmark 90 Handicap (1400m)
A perfectly timed run saw the John O’Shea-trained Berdibek hit the front in the final stride to claim the popular greys race.
The imported galloper took 11 starts to win for the first time in Australia and Thursday’s win, his first run of the year, saw the seven-year-old go back-to-back.
Hugh Bowman picked up the ride after James McDonald‘s appeal against a recent careless riding suspension was dismissed on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t confident of winning, I had a lot of weight and it was a really testing race, the pace was on from the outset,” winning rider Hugh Bowman said.
“I was comfortable where I was in the run but when I started to build, he didn’t let down like a horse that was going to win but he kept grinding to the line and when the other horses started to feel the pinch, he was there to capitalize.
Berdibek was well supported firming from a $14 quote earlier in the week to start at $7.50. The $3.20 favourite Housay finished fifth.
What a finish. Hugh Bowman sits last on Berdibek and stormed home to win the Subzero Handicap! pic.twitter.com/JhQn7dciL9
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
RACE 6: $250,000 Inglis F&M Bracelet (1600m)
New South Wales-trained gallopers dominated the inaugural running of the $250,000 fillies and mares’ feature.
Rocha Clock gave trainer John O’Shea and jockey Hugh Bowman a race-to-race double, but the story of the race was the luckless performance of the Chris Waller-trained runner-up Re Edit.
Kerrin McEvoy spent a large part of the home straight trying to get Re Edit into clear running and once into the open she flashed hard late but just missed.
Back in third was Game Of Thorns from the Kris Less stable. That mare was jammed up when Rocha Clock surged to the lead over the concluding stages.
Rocha Clock’s win was her was her fifth from 11 starts and took her earnings to more than $350,000.
“She was a bit lost here at Flemington. Plenty to look at and that’s without a crowd,” Bowman said.
“She didn’t quite show the turn-of-foot that she can so I put it down to being here for the first time.
“The best horse on the day won.”
Rocha Clock was well supported and started the $3 favourite.
Rocha Clock gives @HugeBowman and John O'Shea a race-to-race double on Kennedy Oaks day winning the inaugural $500k Inglis Bracelet. pic.twitter.com/NAVHuShoCV
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
RACE 7: $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m)
Kerrin McEvoy made up for his luckless ride in the previous race when chalking up his 50th Melbourne Cup carnival win aboard Do You Reckon.
McEvoy became just the seventh rider to achieve the feat.
“A good thrill,” McEvoy said. “A nice feather in the cap.
“I’m not here Saturday so it’s nice to get it done today rather than hanging over my head for next year.
“Thrilled with the week and it’s been a great day.”
The victory also gave Cranbourne conditioner Julius Sandhu his biggest win as a trainer in the final of a race series reserved for country-trained horses.
“Really big thrill and a gun ride,” Sandhu said. “The prizemoney side of it hasn’t really sunk in. Not really thinking about that at the minute.
“It’s just, it’s a special feeling to work hard with a horse like this and to pay dividends.
“He’s had a big campaign this horse and to put it all together on a day like today is a big thrill.”
Do You Reckon started at $26 and relegated the $6.50 favourite Kaplumpich into second.
Do You Reckon has won the $500k Country Final for Julius Sandhu also giving Kerrin McEvoy his 50th #MelbourneCup Carnival win of his career. pic.twitter.com/J5Ue9sDHTb
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 5, 2020
RACE 9: $200,000 Group 3 Network 10 Red Roses Stakes (1100m)
It was an anxious watch for backers but Written Beauty ensured the majority of punters ended the day on the right note on Thursday.
The Hawkes Racing-trained filly didn’t appear to be at her explosive best having her first start down the Flemington straight but on his last day in Melbourne before returning to Perth, Willie Pike lifted her late to overhaul Marboosha.
Wayne Hawkes, who trains the daughter of Written Tycoon in partnership with his father John and brother Michael, indicated Written Beauty would head to the paddock now with the stable setting their sights on autumn targets in 2021.
“She’s got a lot of upside,” he said. “She’s at the end of her tether. This will be the least of where she’s going to go.
“She’s got massive upside and is going to be some filly when she matures.
“It’s more about mentally than physically because she’s a brute of a horse now.”
In three starts this preparation, Written Beauty lowered the Canterbury 1100m and Moonee Valley 1000m track records before Thursday’s Flemington success.