Egg Tart once again displayed an explosive turn-of-foot to take out the 2017 Queensland Oaks at Doomben this afternoon.
Egg Tart captured another Group 1 victory in the 2017 Queensland Oaks. Photo by: Jenny Barnes
Egg Tart finished over the top of her rivals to score a most impressive victory in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville and it was a case of deja-vu in the Queensland Oaks.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy settled Egg Tart a long way back in the early stages of the Queensland Oaks and she had plenty of work to do late, but she responded emphatically when asked for an extra effort to comfortably pick-up her rivals in the final 100 metres.
McEvoy has now won a pair of Group 1 races on Egg Tart and he was brimming in praise for the filly that he still believes has plenty of improvement in front of her.
“She is a little star,” McEvoy said.
“She is not very big, but when you ride her she has a motor and she has such a big stride.
“It is like she is bubbling up waiting for you to push the button and when you do she just goes.
“I was on the back of Dawn Wall and I was waiting for Dawn Wall to toe me into the race.
“Doomben can be a little bit tricky when you are trying to get going, but I knew that I hadn’t spent a penny in the run and she unleashed a powerful finish.
“The sky is the limit and she is only going to get better.”
Chris Waller won his first Queensland Oaks at Doomben two years ago with superstar mare Winx and the leading trainer was quick to draw parallels between his two Queensland Oaks winners.
Like McEvoy, Waller believes that Egg Tart has nothing but upside and he revealed that the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) could be her main target during the 2017 Spring Racing Carnival.
“She has a good record that is starting to unfold and the best is yet to come,” Waller said.
“She is not furnished yet and she just has that sense of winning.
“She switches off, relaxes and in her life in general she is a happy horse.
“With Winx we were going to target the Myer Classic and deflected and went to the Epsom.
“I would say that she would get ready for a race like the Epsom because you have to respect that three-year-old fillies are still growing and developing.
“It is a big step to take on those cup horses.
“I respect the success that Queensland Oaks horses have had in those big races, but I like to take a more conservative approach and make sure that she is here for a lot longer yet.”
Pygmy handled the step-up in class to finish a strong second, while Egg Tart’s stablemate Oklahoma Girl rounded out the placings in third.
