UPDATE: Fireburn has been scratched from the Queensland Oaks field after being found to be 2/5 lame by Queensland Racing vets on Thursday.
The 2023 Queensland Oaks takes centre stage in Brisbane on Saturday and the filly heading the field and markets at Eagle Farm is former Slipper winner Fireburn.
Group 1 winning filly Fireburn chases more elite level glory as favourite in 2023 Queensland Oaks betting on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Gary Portelli-trained Rebel Dane filly was huge as a juvenile winning Sydney’s Group 1 Golden Slipper – ATC Sires’ elite level double.
Last time out the now three-year-old broke the Slipper winners’ curse with victory in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben.
She now heads to Brisbane’s other premier race track stepping up in distance for the Group 1 $700,000 Channel 7 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
The Queensland Oaks field features a capacity line-up of 18 starters plus emergencies, and the favourite has work to do from a wide barrier 16 draw.
Jason Collett continues associations on the $4.2 million earner who was good around this distance in the autumn when third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and fourth in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m).
The latest Queensland Oaks odds online at Ladbrokes have Fireburn at $3.80 with the top elect easing slightly from her opening post-acceptance quote of $3.60.
Despite the bumper size of the field just two other fillies are currently under $10 in Queensland Oaks betting this winter with the market mover Renaissance Woman ($4.20) and the in-form Affaire A Suivre ($6).
The Bjorn Baker-trained Reliable Man filly Renaissance Woman came up trumps with barrier six as she chases her second win from three starts following a Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) win two back at Caloundra.
She comes via the traditional Oaks lead-up having run under a length second to Fireburn in The Roses at Doomben last time out.
Beautifully-bred Astern filly Affaire A Suivre comes via a different lead-up as she chases her fourth win on the trot.
Representing the powerhouse training combo of Ciaron Maher & David Eustace she was last seen narrowly denying She’s Fit victory at Morphettville in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m).
She made a go of it from the outside alley (16 of 16) in South Australia and jumps from gate 13 on Saturday in the sunshine state with John Allen in the saddle.
The other best out of the local The Roses lead-up meanwhile is the Ben Foote-trained New Zealand raider Sakura Girl to be ridden by ace Kiwi hoop Opie Bosson.
She was third in her first start down under and gets out over further for the first time since her disappointing sixth in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) back in March.
The Iffraaj filly got an early knock drawing really wide on the track but remains a chance at $12 Queensland Oaks odds.
Also being kept somewhat safe in betting is fellow Kiwi visitor Cheval D’or ($15) for Tony Pike.
She has drawn only one closer but comes off a lead-up win at home over 2100m by two lengths.
The Queensland Oaks is scheduled as the penultimate event on Saturday’s nine-race Eagle Farm card.
2023 Queensland Oaks Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 57×3111 | AFFAIRE A SUIVRE (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 13 | 56.5kg | 100 | ||
| 3 | x67169x612 | RENAISSANCE WOMAN (NZ) | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 6 | 56.5kg | 88 | ||
| 4 | 5130×82020 | SO DAZZLING (NZ) | John Sargent | Craig Williams | 11 | 56.5kg | 94 | ||
| 5 | 60538×9800 | TYRESA | Kelly Schweida | Larry Cassidy | 12 | 56.5kg | 72 | ||
| 6 | 613122×088 | NOAH ’N’ A DEEL | Les Kelly | Sean Cormack | 10 | 56.5kg | 69 | ||
| 7 | 16521623 | SAKURA GIRL (NZ) | Ben Foote | Opie Bosson | 21 | 56.5kg | 87 | ||
| 8 | 0211×74426 | SUPER CHILLED | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 18 | 56.5kg | 77 | ||
| 9 | 1418×7257 | MADAME ODETTE | Tony Gollan | Ryan Maloney | 3 | 56.5kg | 72 | ||
| 10 | 41317×4061 | LET ME REIGN | Lee & Cherie Curtis | James Orman | 14 | 56.5kg | 65 | ||
| 11 | 3x111x1023 | DIVINE PURPOSE | Clinton Taylor | Ben Thompson | 4 | 56.5kg | 68 | ||
| 12 | 1337×98554 | PROSCENIUM ARCH (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Tim Clark | 8 | 56.5kg | 72.5 | ||
| 13 | 4317211012 | ORIGINAL GLAZE | Trevor Lambourn | Michael Murphy | 2 | 56.5kg | 69 | ||
| 14 | 332431 | CHEVAL D’OR (NZ) | Tony Pike | Michael McNab | 20 | 56.5kg | 84 | ||
| 15 | 611×19 | REO | Richard Laming | Martin Harley | 5 | 56.5kg | 72 | ||
| 16 | 7140×43765 | YANKEE HUSSEL | Kris Lees | Andrew Mallyon | 9 | 56.5kg | 67 | ||
| 17 | 62711 | AMOKURA | Kris Lees | Damien Oliver | 1 | 56.5kg | 67 | ||
| 18 | 3×74104781 | CARING LASS | Matthew Smith | Ms Rachel King | 19 | 56.5kg | 55 | ||
| 19e | 6×311362 | FIREFLIES | Brett Cavanough | Jake Bayliss | 15 | 56.5kg | 64 | ||
| 20e | 717×592423 | KALEA | Renita Beaton | Chad Schofield | 22 | 56.5kg | 57 | ||
| 21e | x3471x1453 | ROCKBARTON ROAD | Joe Cleary | 23 | 56.5kg | 57 | |||
| 22e | 5551 | CALIFORNIA GRASS | John Thompson | 17 | 56.5kg | 61 | |||
| 23e | 765551 | ARTFUL GIRL | Kevin Kemp | Marnu Potgieter (a) | 7 | 56.5kg | 57 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
