Trainer John Sadler believes that Vain Queen is good enough to win the 2015 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday if she has taken a step forward from her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
Talented sprinter Vain Queen is one of a number of winning chances in the 2015 Oakleigh Plate. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Vain Queen was sent to the spelling paddock after she recorded a dominant three and a half lengths victory in the Group 3 Mumm Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Crown Oaks Day last year and she has been wound up for the Oakleigh Plate with two soft jump outs.
The Artie Schiller mare has generally produced her best form down the straight at Flemington and has only recorded one win from four race starts at Caulfield, but Sadler told Racing Ahead that he remains confident the five-year-old can record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the Oakleigh Plate.
“She obviously does go better down the straight and this is around a turn, but she did put in a very good performance one day at Caulfield around a bend when Craig Williams rode her in a Group 3 there when she just had no luck,” Sadler said.
“I thought that if luck had gone her way that day she would have been as dominant as she has been a couple of times down the straight.
“It is a possibility that she is still on the way up and still has improvement and if that is the case then she could win it.”
There is expected to be plenty of early pace in the 2015 Oakleigh Plate field and jockey Damian Lane will have a number of options on where to settle Vain Queen when she jumps from barrier ten on Saturday.
Sadler said that he doesn’t expect Vain Queen to be fighting for the lead in the early stages of the Oakleigh Plate and he is hopeful that the speedy mare can receive a nice run in transit just behind the leading group of sprinters.
“We were not disappointed with the draw,” Sadler said.
“We maybe would have liked to be a little closer in, but it is better than 18.
“They are obviously going to go quick and I would have thought that she would be just off the pace and that could be sixth, seventh or eighth.
“She won’t be sharing the lead and she will be back off that pace.”
Vain Queen is currently available at 2015 Oakleigh Plate odds of $6 and is on the second line of betting behind 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake ($5).
