Absolutely will be aimed at the 2011 Caulfield Cup during the spring
Saturday’s upset winner of the 100th AJC Australian Oaks, Absolutely is expected to be bought back in the spring for the Caulfield Cup as is beaten Oaks favourite Shamrocker.
The Michael Kent-trained Redoute’s Choice filly Absolutely put in a powerful display on a bog Randwick track over the weekend, the $31 outsider scoring a dominant three and a half length upset over race favourite Shamrocker to win the $550,000 Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks (2500m).
Ridden expertly along the rails by jockey Brad Rawiller, Absolutely finally broke her maiden status in the finest of styles and is now being aimed at more Group 1 glory next season.
Rawiller, winner of the Golden Slipper two years ago on Phelan Ready, knew how to ride Absolutely in the conditions and hand trainer Kent his first Group 1 success since returning from a stint in Singapore five years ago.
Rawiller won 2009 Caulfield Cup winner Viewed in one of the most memorable editions of the spring feature and it was the same rails-hugging style of ride that Rawiller produced with both Phelan Ready in the Slipper and Absolutely in the Oaks.
Aboard for Absolutely’s two most recent runs, Rawiller will undoubtedly be keen to maintain his association with the filly for this year’s Caulfield Cup during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Absolutely is raced by Gilgai Farm’s Rick Jamieson, who bred the world’s fastest racehorse Black Caviar.
Danny O’Brien’s smart filly Shamrocker may not have let down as well in the wet on Saturday, but the Australian Guineas / Australian Derby winning star was far from disgraced considering the unsuitable ground and has also earned a Caulfield Cup campaign next season.
“She was beaten fair and square by a filly who handled the conditions best on the day,” O’Brien said of Shamrocker after the Oaks upset.
“But she’s had a wonderful preparation.
“Now we will put her away and get her ready for the Caulfield Cup.”
The $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) is scheduled to run on Saturday October 15, 2011.
