First emergency Provocative has gained a start in Saturday’s Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm following the scratching of South Australian filly Beluga Blue.
Beluga Blue, black and white colours, has been scratched from the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Morphettville trainer Leon Macdonald informed Racing Queensland stewards this morning that Beluga Blue would not be running in the fillies’ classic after sustaining a cut to her off hind leg following a stable accident yesterday.
Racing Queensland released the following statement today – “Racing Queensland Stewards have been advised by trainer Leon McDonald that Queensland Oaks runner BELUGA BLUE has sustained a laceration to the off hind leg following an incident in the filly’s stable yesterday.
Following a veterinary examination this morning, BELUGA BLUE has been withdrawn from the Queensland Oaks.
As a result, PROVACATIVE has gained a start in the Queensland Oaks and will be withdrawn from the Eagle Farm Cup.”
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike had also accepted with Provocative in the Group 2 $250,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm and she has subsequently been withdrawn from that, leaving seven runners to contest the 2200m staying event.
Provocative’s prizemoney earnings of $31,078 wasn’t enough to get her into the final eighteen horse field of the Queensland Oaks at acceptance time on Wednesday, and Pike had to sweat on one of the other fillies coming out.
The Zabeel filly was also out of luck at the barrier draw and after coming up with gate twenty in the original draw, looks likely to jump from sixteen when the field is reduced to limit of eighteen at final scratching time on Saturday morning.
Top Kiwi jockey Leith Innes takes over from Vinnie Colgan who rode the filly to a two and a quarter lengths win in a 2190m three year old handicap at Ipswich on May 18.
Provocative is prominent in the Queensland Oaks market order at $9 with Ladbrokes.com.au who have Falkenberg and Imposing Lass sharing favouritism at $7.
Queensland Oaks market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $7 Falkenberg, Imposing Lass, $8.50 Romantic Maid, Dawnie Perfect, $9 Provocative, $11 Kebede, Ambience, $13 Chabaud, $14 Self Esteem, $16 Tavi Bay, $19 Sebring Sally, Dulverton, $21 Tap This, Alaskan Rose, Sahara Siren, $26 Zasorceress, $31 Mount Omei, $51 Queen Of Wands, Ashlee Marie, Zafiki, $71 Meru.
