New season four year old mare Oohood has been included among the nominations for the 2019 Group 3 $160,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Oohood, above with the blue cap in the middle, is among the nominations for the 2019 Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.

Oohood, above with the blue cap in the middle, is among the nominations for the 2019 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.

Oohood is one of twenty horses nominated for the sprint down the Flemington straight and the Tony McEvoy trained mare will be having her first run back after finishing eighth behind Nakeeta Jane in the Group 1 $500,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on March 2.

A win in the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Spring Carnival is Oohood’s only victory from fourteen starts and McEvoy was disappointed with her Autumn Carnival form as a three year old filly when unplaced twice.

“I couldn’t put my finger on why she didn’t come up but she’s bounced back well this time,” McEvoy told AAP.

“I think she’s improved. Physically she’s stronger,” McEvoy said.

“We haven’t mapped out a program for her and we’re just waiting to she how she’s come back to racing.

“But if she runs well in the Aurie’s Star I think we could go on to the Memsie.”

A successful return to the racetrack could Oohood elevated back to Group 1 company with a start in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31 a possibility.

Also entered in the Aurie’s Star Handicap in the Team Hawkes trained Sesar who failed to preform last start when sixth in the Group 3 $160,000 The Big Screen Company Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 27 after scoring an impressive first up win in the $125,000 Winter Dash (1200m) at Randwick.

Nominations for the 2019 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 11x111231x ANTAH G 7 Jason Warren 86
2 280x2810x8 HAY NOW M 7 Shaun Dwyer 78
3 115040×333 HOLY BLADE G 5 Peter & Paul Snowden 90
4 11880x105x ICONOCLASM H 5 Danny O’Brien 100
5 x574033272 I’M TELLING YA G 6 Amy & Ash Yargi 73
6 8×67202214 MALIBU STYLE G 8 Neville Parnham 104
7 1x32x6900x MATERIAL MAN G 8 Pat Carey 107
8 351×681212 MILWAUKEE G 6 Michael Moroney 98
9 43214630×0 MR MONEY BAGS G 5 Robbie Griffiths 82
10 544130x08x OOHOOD M 4 Tony McEvoy 103
11 273×577561 QUEEN ANNABEL M 6 Rebecca Kelly 82
12 221×165313 REYKJAVIK H 5 Lindsey Smith 95
13 x9767x740x SEABURGE G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 92
14 2154x17x16 SESAR H 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 100
15 641292450x SO SI BON G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 100
16 3x1x11118x THE INEVITABLE G 4 Scott Brunton 85
17 x4241x994x TRIBAL WISDOM G 6 Michael Moroney 88
18 x4993305x5 TRUE EXCELSIOR (NZ) M 5 Leon & Troy Corstens 84
19 x77027x90x VASSILATOR (NZ) G 4 Colin Little 98
20 3x811146x4 YOU MAKE ME SMILE G 5 Jason Coyle 85

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.