Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Fireball Miss takes the Oaks in style
Fireball Miss (Bivouac) joins some of the better 3-year-old fillies we’ve seen in Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}), Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel) and most recently Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Ethereal went on to claim the coveted G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup double in 2001, while Scarlett Lady was denied a real chance pulling up injured at her sixth start following Oaks success. She managed to squeeze in two Group 1 victories in that period though. As for Youngstar, she never won another race but looked all over a winner in the G1 Turnbull Stakes later in 2018 before the Champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) grabbed her inside the last 50 metres
Enough of the pleasantries – can one of these fillies stand-up this spring?
The 2026 G1 Queensland Oaks rated above average with the overall time almost 2 lengths inside standard. Late sectionals were okay without giving off the vibe that we could be dealing with a Cups prospect.
Typically at this stage of the season (late), you want to see something sharp late that suggests the horse had plenty up the sleeve. Fireball Miss could’ve gone one to two lengths faster overall but that’s about it. So now we look at her rating of 87 and even with a 2 length bonus she hits 89, which is about three to four lengths off your average G1 Caulfield Cup mark.
Keep an eye on Chispa (NZ) (Savabeel) though as she profiles as one that could drastically improve over the next 12 months. She was turned sideways at the 250 metre mark and possibly should’ve placed. She has the ability to reel off a slick sectional in staying a race, a trait reserved for topline gallopers. Her challenge will be to position herself more prominently so that dash puts her in front rather than just catch up.
Chispa (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Her trainer Chris Waller has been on the record saying he doesn’t like throwing top class 3-year-old fillies into the deep end as a spring 4-year-old mare. I do wonder if the industry could benefit in having a major staying race over 2400 metres reserved for fillies and mares only each spring? Although I do concede programming would be tricky.
Voynichese a big improver
The progression of Nick Olive’s 2-year-old filly Voynichese (Pinatubo {Ire}) has shown in three starts is quite something. Beaten in a Bathurst maiden on debut, she atoned with victory at Albury posting good but not great figures. Then goes from a maiden there to win the Listed Show A Heart Stakes over 1500 metres on a Group 1 day at Eagle Farm with her overall time 2 lengths inside standard time.
Can she beat Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}) in the G1 JJ Atkins? Probably not, but as we discussed last week, a fast run mile could be the only thing stopping Tron Bolt. The runner-up from the Show A Heart, Glenorchy (Cosmic Force), is a good roughie on an each-way basis in the JJ Atkins. He was held up at the top of the straight but when clear clocked the best last 200 metres of the race. He’ll get 1600 metres no worries.
Surfin Bird shows her class
Surfin Bird (The Autumn Sun) finally got the cash and showed us what she’s really made of. This is a Group 1 mare in the making. She ran it hard from the front going through the first 1000 metres more than six lengths above standard. She broke them with an overall time more than two lengths inside standard showing nothing in this race is up to that. Could she be a G1 Epsom Handicap mare?
Aethera closes sharply at Flemington
When a 2-year-old clocks the best late splits of the day, your ears prick. And that’s what happened at Flemington on Saturday when the Danny O'Brien-trained Aethera (Shamus Award) took out the opening event. First use of a Heavy track definitely aided her position but nonetheless she posted the best last 200 metres of the day albeit her overall time was nothing flash. It will be good to see her again in a race with more pressure.
Rockette loves the wet at Flemington
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained 3-year-old filly Rockette (So You Think {NZ}) revelled in the wet at Melbourne’s headquarters winning the open 3-year-old event over 2000 metres in sharp time.
Still in her first preparation, and coming off a placing in a BM62 at Sale, the punters launched snapping up the $6.50 before she started $5. She relished a fast tempo and posted a rating very similar to Fireball Miss in the Oaks.
Why So Hard catches the eye at Randwick
Not much on at Randwick but we did see an exciting debut victory from Why So Hard (All Too Hard) in the lone 2-year-old event over 1100 metres. To the eye it looked as though he really pinned the ears back to nail his opponents over the last 100 metres. The clock backs it up with the son of All Too Hard clocking the second fastest last 200 metres of the day.
The Stradbroke to come this weekend
Queensland’s biggest race, the G1 Stradbroke Handicap, is this weekend and Fangirl (Sebring) will carry the number 1 saddlecloth.
Headley Grange (Exosphere) keeps improving and is the horse to beat but I’m having something on Sixties (Flying Artie) now that he’s drawn a good gate.
His peak figure is at 1400 metres courtesy of his G3 CS Hayes victory and for mine, that’s his trip. He was brave in multiple runs around the mile since and off a freshen was good late in the G3 Fred Best Classic. Barrier is key for this animal and gate 3 means Jamie Melham can be forward of midfield and utilise his good turn of foot to dash away from them rather than just catch up to them. Anyway, I’ve had a decent crack at the $15.
Headley Grange | Image courtesy of Inglis
