By Dane Squance
Two fillies head into Thursday's G1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington having won their past two starts, and although they are yet to meet on the race track the Aaron Purcell-trained Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}) will start the short-priced favourite having won the G1 Thousand Guineas (160m) Oct. 14 followed by the G2 Vase (2040m) against the boys Oct. 28 at Moonee Valley.
Defeating Shoals (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the Guineas, with that filly since claiming the G1 Myer Classic last Saturday, Aloisia has been the class middle-distance filly of her generation so far this season. Leaving Darren Weir's G3 Norman Robinson S. (2000m) winner Cliff's Edge (Aus) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) over three lengths astern in the Vase, victory by Aloisia will give Purcell his second Group 1 victory in the last week, with his colt Merchant Navy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) winning the Coolmore Stud S. (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's Pinot (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) a winner of her past two, including a length and three-quarter win over fellow Oaks runners Rimraam (NZ) (Commands {Aus}) and Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the G3 Ethereal S. (2000m) at Caulfield Oct. 21, is out of the G1 Australian Oaks winner Dizelle (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}) and races as if the 2500m will pose no concern.
Having used the G2 Wakeful S. (2000m) in the past as a prep run for the Oaks, trainer John Sargent captured Saturday's race with Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), and will now attempt to emulate former stable runner Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) who won the double in 2013, while Thunder Lady (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) won the Wakeful before finishing second in the Oaks in 2014. Shadwell Stud's Rimraam is yet to finish out of the top three in her seven starts to date and with very good placed performances at her past two over 2000m at group level, the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained filly is one who could spring a surprise.
With her sire having provider the winners of the G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) in Ace High (Aus) (High Chaparral {IRE}) and the G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the past week, Mick Price's Hiyaam is the only other filly who looks capable of finishing in the frame. Third in the G3 Ethereal S. behind Pinot and fourth to Luvaluva in last Saturday's G2 Wakeful S., Hiyaam is out of a Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram {IRE}) mare and is bred on the exact same cross as G1 Australian Derby winner Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}).
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