The 2015 Australasian Oaks field has been released and a capacity field of 16 runners as well as four emergencies have been included in the entries for the Group 1 event at Morphettville on Saturday.
Fontein Ruby has the chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Australasian Oaks. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Fontein Ruby has been a consistent performer at Group level as a three-year-old and she will have the opportunity to record a maiden win at the highest level of racing this weekend.
The Turffontein filly took out the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) at Caulfield during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and she bounced back from a poor effort in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 to record back-to-back wins in the Listed Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 27 and the Victoria Gold Reef (1600m) at Caulfield on April 18.
Fontein Ruby will be joined in the Australasian Oaks field by stablemate Ungrateful Ellen, who will be stepping up in class significantly after she took out the Anzac Centenary Cup at Bendigo on April 16.
Fenway missed the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 due to a hoof issue, but the High Chaparral filly has been cleared to return to the races in the Australasian Oaks this weekend.
The three-year-old produced credible performances in the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 21 and the Group 3 Schweppervescence Trophy (1600m) at the same venue on March 14 before she stamped herself as one of the most talented staying fillies in Australia with a narrow win over First Seal in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28.
Another filly that will be taking winning form into the Australasian Oaks is Grant Williams-trained Delicacy, who will be making her debut on the eastern seaboard of Australia after putting together an outstanding record of 8 wins from 12 starts in Western Australia.
Delicacy recorded her maiden win at black type level in the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m) on February 28 and she went on to stamp herself as a genuine Australasian Oaks contender with impressive wins in the Listed Natasha Stakes (2200m) on March 14, the Group 3 Western Australian Oaks (2400m) on March 28 and the Group 2 WATC Derby (2400m) on April 11.
The Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) is considered one of the key lead-ups to the Australasian Oaks and the likes of Fitocracy, Kansas Sunflower, Choix De Maia, Cathy’s Mark, Redasun and Coachella are all set to back-up in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Fitocracy outstayed Kansas Sunflower to take out the Auraria Stakes and there are now genuine question marks over the ability of the Luke Oliver-trained gallopers ability to run out a strong 2000 metres.
Chris Waller-trained Wine Tales, talented filly Jurasound, the consistent Sea Spray, the highly-rated Lady Sharapova, Not A Happy Camper, Bahamas and Hipster Girl have also been included in the Australasian Oaks field, while Try Your Best, Rather Heroic and Regal Magnus are the other emergencies for the $400,000 race.
