Eighty-nine of the classiest three-year-old fillies have been entered for the $1 million Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) when nominations for the spring feature closed at noon today.

The 2010 Crown Oaks will take place at Flemington on Thursday November 4 on the third meeting of the famous four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Last year’s Crown Oaks was won by Bart Cummings’ champion Faint Perfume, but the legendary Cups King has entered just two of his fillies in this year’s Crown Oaks with Ardeche and Quick Thinking.

The filly sure to be at the top of the Crown Oaks betting at Sportsbet is the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Strawberries.

The in-form daughter of More Than Ready has enjoyed wins in the Furious Stakes and Tea Rose Stakes already this spring, making her a favourite with the punters.

Waterhouse has also entered Live And Learn, Meditation and Zutara in the 2010 Crown Oaks.

Notable 2010 Crown Oaks Nominations:

• More Strawberries (Gai Waterhouse)
• Divorces (Peter Snowden)
• Heartsareforlove (John P Thompson)
• Willow Creek (Peter Moody)
• Ringa Ringa Rosie (Bevan & Richard Laming)
• Pinker Pinker (Greg Eurell)
• Yosei (Stuart Webb)

Other early favourites among the Crown Oaks nominations include Newcastle Spring Stakes placegetter Heartsareforlove, Magic Night Stakes winner Willow Creek, AJC Sires Produce Stakes champion Yosei and Peter Snowden’s Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Divorces.

The VRC also released the 2010 Victoria Derby Nominations today featuring 88 three-year-olds including Gloaming Stakes winner Retrieve and Caulfield Guineas Prelude champion Anacheeva.

Betting markets for both the Victoria Derby and Crown Oaks will open at Australia’s leading online bookie [sportsbet] shortly so take a few minutes to sign up now to get in on the action!

2010 Crown Oaks Nominations