Trainer David Vandyke admits that Arabian Gold felt her run in the Doomben Roses on Saturday, but believes that the talented filly is still on track to contest the 2014 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm next weekend.
Trainer David Vandyke is confident that Arabian Gold will be fit to contest the 2014 Queensland Oaks next weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Arabian Gold started The Roses as a dominant favourite and was the only horse on the entire Doomben card to make up ground late; with the Dubawi filly finishing strongly from the middle of the field to score a comfortable win from Tinto and Tornado Miss.
Vandyke told TVN that he was happy with the performance of Arabian Gold in The Roses, but revealed that the three-year-old had taken longer than he would have liked to recover from the run ahead of the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) on May 31.
“She felt the run, especially off the back of the trip to Queensland but she is progressing okay and I think she will be right back where we want her by the weekend and ready for a good gallop next week and from there hopefully ready for the Oaks,” Vandyke said.
“I think it looks likely that we will be going around in the Oaks and I’m happy with her progress; she is not where I want her at the moment but she is certainly progressing.
“Some runs she feels them and some she doesn’t; she certainly felt her run in the Adrian Knox, but not so much the Frank Packer Plate.
“I think she felt the run last Saturday off the back of the trip up to Queensland, but knowing her as well as I do I think she will be good to go for the Oaks.”
Arabian Gold made a slow start to her autumn campaign, with Vandyke admitting that he was worried that the filly had not come back up following her consistent 2013 Spring Racing Carnival preparation, but she is taking winning form into the Queensland Oaks after recording wins in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 and the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at the same venue a fortnight later before making her Queensland racing debut with a win in The Roses.
Arabian Gold ($2) is a clear favourite in 2014 Queensland Oaks betting markets from Rock Diva ($7), Khutulun ($8), Hera ($8.50) and Tinto ($9).
