Probabeel aims to keep Kiwi flag flying high
Having captured the Group I Australian Derby (2400m) with Quick Thinker, the Kiwis have set their sights on a Classic cleansweep with class filly Probabeel in the Group I Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick today.
New Zealand horses have enjoyed a heady run of success in Sydney’s autumn blue ribands with three of the past six winners of the Oaks all trained in New Zealand.
That’s not including last year’s winner Verry Elleegant who was Sydneytrained but born and raised in New Zealand where she did her early racing.
Trainer Jamie Richards has Probabeel in after making a belated decision to extend her preparation.
The filly sits high in the market at $4, behind only the Godolphin-trained Colette ($3) who is on a seven-day back up after winning last weekend’s Group III Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).
Probabeel is untested at the distance but she is stoutly bred. By noted sire of stayers Savabeel, she is out of Pins mare Far Fetched who was stakes placed over
2100m before finishing unplaced in the
2014 GroupI New Zealand Oaks (2400m). The New Zealand industry is renowned for breeding quality stayers and Richards said it is no surprise his country has had such success in the three-year-old classics in Australia.
‘‘They’ve always been kind to us and they are nice races to target because obviously our horses can stay a bit,’’ Richards said. ‘‘It’s nice to be targeting a race we have had success in in the past as a nation.’’
The class runner, Proabeel kicked off her campaign in January with back-toback wins in New Zealand and brought that form to Australia, winning the Group I Surround Stakes (1400m).
She was runner-up to Funstar in the Group II Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) and just failed to reel in Shout The Bar in the Group I Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) last start. That was to have been her grand final but with the shape of future racing carnivals uncertain, Richards decided to press on to the Oaks.
‘‘She is getting to the end of a pretty long campaign now but with so much uncertainty around what’s going to happen in the spring, I think we’ve made the right decision to run her,’’ Richards said.
‘‘She has held her fitness and she’s continued to train well so we’ve certainly been pleased with her.’’
❏ Meanwhile ex-New Zealand galloper Verry Elleegant is to be crowned Australia’s new darling of the turf when she contests the Group I Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Her former stablemate Winx won the previous three editions and Verry Elleegant will be out to extend trainer Chris Waller’s winning streak in the race. The four-year-old daughter of Zed heads is in fine form, finishing runnerup in the Group I Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and Group I Ranvet Stakes (2000m) before winning the Group I Tancred Stakes (2400m) last start.
Waller is hoping she can extend her elite-level tally. ‘‘It’s a year on since winning the Oaks impressively and she was probably playing number two to Winx last year,’’ Waller said. ‘‘But here she is doing it herself in the Queen Elizabeth.
‘‘She is in great form. Her win in the Tancred at Rosehill was exceptional. Coming back to 2000m we have just kept her nice and fresh.’’
She will be ridden by top jockey Nash Rawiller replace James McDonald who was committed to partner Japanese group I winner and favourite Danon Premium in the race. The Randwick track was rated a Soft6 yesterday and with further rain forecast, Waller said conditions are set to suit. ‘‘Any rain about would certainly help her chances even greater.’’
Verry Elleegant won two of her three starts in New Zealand before crossing the Tasman. She is rated a $6.50 winning chance by TAB bookmakers behind Danon Premium ($3.60), Addeybb ($4.50) and another Kiwi galloper Te Akau Shark ($5).