2018 Queensland Oaks Day Preview & Tips
Champagne Cuddles is favourite to win the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara. Photo: Steve Hart

2018 Queensland Oaks Day Preview & Tips

Queensland Oaks Day has drawn nine talent-rich fields to Doomben Racecourse on Saturday and boasts two Group 1 feature races. All but one of the races on 2018 Queensland Oaks Day will be contested at black type level and a fine week in the greater Brisbane metropolitan area will see the Doomben track rated in the ‘Good’ range.

Wilpak Wholesale Meats BM95 (1200m)
No. 10 Tango Rain (Each Way)

The field for Race 1 on Oaks Day is open from a betting perspective and there’s a case to be made for several horses. Tango Rain was held up in the straight at Doomben a fortnight ago and he is over the odds at a current $7 quote in this field. The Manhattan Rain gelding has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire racing career to date and is ready to peak third-up in this race. Tyzone ($3.40) carries winning form into this race and should be right in the finish again. The Written Tycoon gelding dominated a Gold Coast field in his first start for Toby Edmonds three weeks ago and he has the notable advantage of Jeff Lloyd in the saddle again.

best bet
Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m)
No. 2 Dark Dream

The Grand Prix Stakes is the final stop on the traditional path towards the Group 1 Queensland Derby and it has drawn a decent field of three-year-olds. It is extremely difficult to go past race favourite Dark Dream ($2.20), who absolutely dominated the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate a fortnight ago and who will prove extremely difficult to beat. The All American gelding was a strong and consistent performer in Sydney through autumn and failed to finish worse than second in six starts, before arriving in Brisbane for a smart second in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic, in which he was unlucky not to beat mile specialist Villermont on the line. He found the line more than four lengths ahead of closest rival Higher Ground last week and there is nothing of that horse’s quality in this field. He should just be winning.

Group 3 Premier's Cup (2200m)
No. 3 Kiwia (Each Way)

An open field of stayers will contest the Premier’s Cup and there is a case to be made for more than half of the group. Sedanzer is the $3.90 race favourite at the time of publish and will carry winning form into the race following a smart win in the Listed Scone Cup a fortnight ago. She’s drawn quite awkwardly and there is something of a query around her ability at the distance. The Darren Weir-trained Kiwia ($6.50) did not enjoy the soft going when sixth in the Listed Warrnambool Cup a fortnight ago, but will be faced with far better conditions on Saturday and is worth consideration at current odds. Kiwia has posted six wins and five minors through only sixteen career starts and has a class edge over most of this pack on his day.

Group 3 Lord Mayor's Cup (1630m)
No. 5 Spectroscope (Each Way)

A quality field of milers has been taken for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Cup and I am confident that the winner will come from one of the three Godolphin horses confirmed in the field; It’s Somewhat ($3.40), Duca Valentinois ($4) and Spectroscope ($9). It’s Somewhat was scratched from the Doomben Cup field last weekend and this is clearly a step back in class from that race, while all his best results have been posted at a mile previously. He’s drawn to get a great run in transit on pace from gate 2 and on class alone, he’ll be tough to beat. Duca Valentinois has steadily built to the task this time, but he’s probably the one runner of the three that is under the odds. The Holy Roman Emperor gelding ran second to Sedanzer in the Scone Cup last time out and her performance in the race prior to this one could frank that form. Spectroscope flew home from the tail of the field to finish fourth in the Listed Members’ Handicap a fortnight ago and he is well and truly worth consideration for a bet at each-way odds. Jockey Corey Brown can take a position closer to the leaders from barrier 7 and he could prove hard to hold out.

Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1350m)
No. 3 Zousain

Betting for this year’s BRC Sires’ Produce is dominated by interstate raiders and race favourite Zousain ($3.40) looks extremely hard to beat again. Zousain ran fourth in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes and sixth in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes in autumn, and arrived in Brisbane for an impressive win in the Group 2 Champagne Classic a fortnight ago. The rise in trip should suit and he is drawn ideally in barrier 5. The undefeated Graff ($5.50) and Lean Mean Machine ($6.50) are the only other juveniles currently displaying single-figure odds in this market, but they’ll both need to improve noticeably to beat Zousain. Zousain saluted for us at each-way odds a fortnight ago and there is no reason why he cannot repeat that performance and result on Saturday.

Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m)
No. 1 Foxplay (Each Way)

There’s several quality fillies and mares confirmed in an open Glenlogan Park Stakes and at the time of publish, we’re looking at $5.50 the field. Foxplay ($11) has a class edge over most of her rivals in this race and should go well at the conditions of this race off a freshen-up. The Group 1 winner was unable to returned to winning form in autumn, but she was racing in far tougher company and is drawn to run a big race from barrier 4. Race favourite Ghisoni ($5.50) has steadily built to the task this time and will be tough to beat. Ghisoni ran second in the Group 3 Godolphin Crown and third in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic most recently and could enjoy the run of the race from a favourable draw this time. Pedrena ($14) ran on well to finish midfield in the Group 1 Robert Sangster and with natural improvement, she can find herself right in the finish of a race like the Glenlogan Park Stakes. Pedrena finished second in the Group 3 Cape Grim Beef Stakes (1200m) and won the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) during her two-start spring preparation.

Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1350m)
No. 11 Champagne Cuddles

Ten horses remain in the field for the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup following the early scratching of Spieth and we are set for an outstanding contest at Group 1 level. Three-time Group 1 winner Le Romain has opened the $4 favourite in this field and he will relish the slight increase in trip to 1350m. The Hard Spun gelding produced several impressive performances and results in autumn, including a close-up fourth in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, and he worked home well to finish third in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 a fortnight ago. English ($4.60) won the Doomben 10,000 last time out and can repeat that performance and result here. The Encosta De Lago mare has been a strong and consistent performer throughout her entire racing career so far and is drawn ideally on the rails on Saturday, with in-form hoop Tim Clark in the saddle. Three-year-old Champagne Cuddles is the interesting horse in the Kingsford-Smith Cup field and she has already drawn plenty of interest in betting; firming $6.50 into $4.80 at the time of publish. Having run second in both the Group 1 Golden Rose and Group 1 Flight Stakes most notably in spring, the Not A Single Doubt filly easily won the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas first-up this time and will have conditions to suit here. CLICK HERE for full 2018 Kingsford-Smith Cup odds & betting update

Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m)
No. 3 Youngstar

Several quality three-year-old fillies will step out in this year’s Queensland Oaks, but it really does look like Youngstar’s race to lose. Youngstar ($2.70) resumed blew off the cobwebs with a smart run for third at Rosehill first-up in April and has since posted three-consecutive and dominant wins, which included a smart performance in the Group 2 The Roses a fortnight ago. Kerrin McEvoy will be able to find an ideal position in transit from barrier 4 and Youngstar will be extremely difficult to hold out. Sheezdashing ($10) carries excellent form into this race and could be Youngstar’s biggest threat. The Myboycharlie filly has finished second at each of her three most-recent starts, including a close run behind Sopressa in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks last time out. The extra 200m should suit and she’s also drawn well in barrier 3. I’ll be backing Youngstar on the nose, but will also have an each-way bet on Sheezdashing at double-figure odds. CLICK HERE for full 2018 Queensland Oaks odds & betting update

Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m)
No. 4 Assimilate (Each Way)

It isn’t one of the Group 1 feature races, but this year’s Fred Best Classic has drawn a quality field of three-year-olds and it is shaping has one of the best contests on the card. Classy local Whypeeo ($3.40) has opened as favourite in this market, but he has continued to drift in early betting as punters rally around some of his rivals. Assimilate ($8) has produced several impressive efforts throughout his entire racing career and looks over the odds at his current quote in Fred Best Classic betting. The son of Snitzel won the Listed Canberra Guineas in March and ran on fairly to finish second in the Scone Guineas last time out. James McDonald will have plenty of options from the rails draw and on class alone, Assimilate should go close.