The Clarry Conners trained Dawnie Perfect is bred to win the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2400m) on the newly revamped Eagle Farm track on Saturday.
Dawnie Perfect, above, has drawn thee outside barrier in the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Dawnie’s Perfect dam Zagalia won the 2003 Queensland Oaks for Conners and the wily Sydney trainer has the Big Brown filly ready to peak on the weekend.
“Kerrin rode her on Tuesday morning and was very happy with her. He is the form jockey at the moment so let’s hope that stands up,” Conners told AAP.
“I couldn’t be happier with her. She has had a good build-up and she made up a stack of ground last time in The Roses when she came from last.”
“I am looking forward to getting her to 2400 metres on the big track at Eagle Farm.”
In-form rider Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride again after the pair ran sixth to Queensland Oaks rival Kebede in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Millions The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 21.
McEvoy has already had Group 1 success during the Brisbane Winter Carnival with a win on Our Ivanhowe in the $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 21 and on Music Magnate in the $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben last Saturday.
Conners also noted other similarities between Dawnie Perefect and her dam with both having only won one race prior to winning the Queensland Oaks.
“Zagalia had won only one race before the Oaks. Dawnie Perfect has won only one race (The Group Three Ethereal Stakes),” Conners said.
“Both are genuinely staying bred and both are very strong at the finish.
“In fact my other Queensland Oaks winner Allow (2006) had won only one race going into the race. Maybe it is good luck?”
Dawnie Perfect has won once from her thirteen starts when she caused a boil over in winning the Group 3 $150,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield at $26 during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
At her next start Dawnie Perfect ran fourth to Ambience in the Group 2 $300,000 Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 31 but missed out on a run in the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington after suffering a minor leg injury.
Even though Dawnie Perfect has drawn barrier twenty-two in the original draw and will jump from the outside gate when the field is reduced to the limit of eighteen runners on race day, she is still rated highly in the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au sharing the second line of betting at $8 with the Kiwi filly Romantic Maid.
The Bjorn Baker trained Imposing Lass and Team Snowden’s filly Falkenberg share favouritism for the Queensland Oaks at $7.
Conners will also saddle up $41 outsider Queen Of Wands who has drawn nicely at barrier eight with Michal Cahill to ride.
Queen Of Wands ran second three starts back to Look To The Stars in the Listed $100,000 Lion Dairy and Drinks Princess Stakes (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on April 23 but has been unplaced at her other two Winter Carnival starts.
The Not A Single Doubt filly then ran sixth to Imposing Lass in the Listed $125,000 All-New Jaguar XE Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 7 followed by a thirteenth to Kebede in The Roses.
Queensland Oaks market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $7 Falkenberg, Imposing Lass, $8 Romantic Maid, Dawnie Perfect, $9 Provocative, $11 Kebede, Ambience, $12 Chabaud, $13 Self Esteem, $15 Tavi Bay, $17 Sebring Sally, $19 Dulverton, $21 Tap This, $26 Zasorceress, Alaskan Rose, $31 Mount Omei, $34 Sahara Siren, $41 Beluga Blue, Queen Of Wands, $51 Ashlee Marie, Zafiki, $71 Meru.
