A field of Queensland Oaks hopes will face off on Doomben Cup Day in Brisbane on Saturday in The Roses 2014, nominations for which are headed by Kris Lees’ filly Hera.

Queensland Oaks second favourite Hera is a headline nominee for Saturday's 2014 The Roses. Photo: Daniel Costello.

A total of 22 three-year-old fillies are nominated for this year’s $175,000 Group 2 XXXX Gold The Roses (2000m), the traditional lead-up to the $400,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.

Futures Queensland Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au this winter are led by Telepathic ($4.40), Donna Logan’s New Zealand raider catching the eye at Doomben Racecourse last Saturday when runner-up to Amexed in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).

Second pick in pre-field Queensland Oaks betting meanwhile is Hera following closely on $4.80.

The now Broadmeadow-based daughter of O’Reilly entered Oaks calculations when debuting for Lees down under at Randwick on April 26  to finish fourth in the Group 3 JHB Carr Stakes (1400m).

Formerly prepared in New Zealand by Roger James the Kiwi import has Group 2 winning form back there from earlier in the year over 2000m meaning they are sure to appreciate the step up in distance for The Roses on Saturday.

The other major player for the Oaks who runs in The Roses this weekend is then Arabian Gold ($5).

David Vandyke’s grey Dubawi filly has won seven of her 16 starts to date including her past two on the trot at Group 3 level at Randwick.

Relishing a Heavy (9) track there on April 12 she firstly won the Adrian Knox Stakes by one and a quarter lengths when going over the 2000m for the first time.

It was an effort she replicated exactly at the same track and distance a fortnight later with another win by the same margin defeating the boys in the Frank Packer Plate on April 26.

Another promising Queensland Oaks hope nominated for Doomben’s lead-up is the Michael Moroney-trained Pentire filly Asadauskaite ($13) who won at Kensington over 1800m two back.

Last time out she raced at the Gold Coast on May 3 in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) finishing nearly five lengths away third on the unsuitably Heavy track.

With a firmer track in Brisbane on the weekend she should be improved.

Gold Coast Bracelet winner Tinto from Toowoomba is also nominated for The Roses.

Rex Lipp’s promising daughter of Red Dazzler went into the Bracelet on the back of two eighth place finishes at Eagle Farm but thrived on the rain-affected ground over more distance for her narrow victory.

Other notable The Roses hopes include Gold Coast bracelet fourth placed Snitzel filly Tornado Miss for Tony Gollan, Shaune Ritchie’s New Zealander Chop Chop who debuted here with a fourth in the Bracelet and Brian Smith’s last start Sunshine Coast winner Cruz.

See below for the full The Roses 2014 nominations with the final field due for release on Wednesday.

Whether it’s the Doomben lead-up on Saturday or the upcoming Queensland Oaks you’re after the best odds for Ladbrokes.com.au is where you need to go, the online bookie also offering punters the chance to withdraw their winnings in cash from any ATM in Australia seconds after payout!

2014 The Roses Nominations

Doomben Racecourse – 17/05/2014