Bonneval new Oaks favourite

THE wonderful unbeaten winning sequence of 3-year-old filly Volpe Veloce was snubbed out at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Matamata trainer Graham Richardson will take a couple of days to reflect on the Foxwedge filly’s future after she fought gallantly for fourth in the Group II Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m).

In eight starts, it was the first time she had been beaten after Cambridge’s wily Murray Baker and training partner Andrew Forsman saddled the quinella with Bonneval and Nicoletta while Devise ran third.

‘‘She tried hard but just didn’t stay,’’ Richardson said.

‘‘Give me a couple of days and I’ll decide what the future holds for her.’’

Her seven wins started with a 1200m hat-trick, one at 1400m and a hat-trick over 1600m for earnings of a tick under $300,000.

More will come but she is unlikely to be a contender for the NZ Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 18 which is definitely on the cards for the Baker-Forsman pair.

Bookmakers have crunched Bonneval into $4 favouritism for the Oaks from her $18 quote before yesterday’s win.

Stablemate Nicoletta has come in from $8 to $5 with Devise at $10. Volpe Veloce, who was a $3.80 favourite before the Sir Tristram, is out to $8.

Bonneval and Nicoletta will take a path through the Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie.

Baker hatched a plan to make yesterday’s race a true staying test.

‘‘That’s what we had to do if we wanted to beat the other filly Volpe Veloce, who is an outstanding filly and she’d won seven straight.

‘‘I can’t recall that being done since Sunline.’’

When the pace slackened after a few hundred metres, Michael Coleman allowed Nicoletta to slide forward and dictate the pace.

‘‘She was pulling a bit,’’ Baker said. ‘‘But Michael rated her perfectly and just got nailed on the line.’’

Winning jockey Matthew Cameron banked on the toughness of Bonneval.

‘‘She was probably going to be tougher at the 2000m and she’s going to improve in leaps and bounds.’’