Kennedy Oaks bound filly Aristia broke through for her maiden win in the Group 2 $300,000 Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington today.

Aristia, above, will now head to the 2018 Kennedy Oaks after winning the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.

Winning co-trainer Mathew Ellerton was glad to see Aristia find the winner’s stall for the first time in the Wakeful Stakes and will now set her for the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on the third day of the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival on Thursday.

“It was a good race to crack her maiden in,” said Ellerton, who trains in partnership with Simon Zahra.

“It would have been good to win one along the way but we won’t complain today.”

“She is probably a better filly with the sting out of the ground and hopefully she pulls up okay and we can progress to Thursday (for the Kennedy Oaks).”

Winning jockey Damian Lane had Aristia ($6.50) in a forward position after jumping from barrier ten in the eleven horse field and the Lonhro filly was strong to the line to score a three quarters of a length win over the Lindsay Park trained Qafila ($9).

Lindsay Park head trainer David Hayes said that he would see how Qafila comes through her Wakeful Stakes run before committing to a start in the Kennedy Oaks while Kris Lees, who prepares the third placegetter El Dorado Dreaming ($5), said that his filly will be heading to the spelling paddock.

The Darren Weir trained Verry Elleegant was sent out as the $2.45 favourite but failed to settle for John Allen well back in the field in the early and middle stages and made little impression in the straight to end up in fifth position.

Aristia is now the $3 favourite for the Kennedy Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Verry Elleegant at $3.50 and Qafila at $5.