Invest is on target to win her second Oaks in a month after taking out the Group 3 $175,000 Hidden Dragon The Roses (2000m) at Doomben today.
Trainer Clarry Conners shipped Invest to Brisbane via Melbourne after she took out the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on April 28.
Conners is certain the Dehere filly will run out the 2400m of the Group 1 $400,000 Treasury Casino Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm on June 2 after finishing strongly at the end of the 2000m today as she did in Adelaide.
Invest settled better for Peter Mertens after Conners removed the winkers for today after the filly had been showing a tendency to pull hard in her races.
Conners can hardly wait for the Queensland Oaks and said that Invest would only improve with today’s run.
“It was a pretty courageous win really,” Conners said.
“He rode her lovely because she won. I’m very pleased. She’s bloomed up here and we’re tickled pink with her. We gave her a couple of days at Heath’s place, a couple of days at my place, to get her up here quick smart.”
“She wanted that, She’s bloomed up here and that run should top her right off.”
After giving her a good run throughout, Mertens hit the front half way down the straight and was able to hold off the strong challenge of Miss Artistic who was driving up the inside and also put in a good Oaks trial.
The Gerald Ryan trained Angel Of Mercy was ridden back in the field by Corey Brown from a horror gate and made up some ground in the straight and will be better suited at Eagle Farm.
