Chris Waller’s second favourite to win the Queensland Oaks at the end of the month Ballet Suite leads nominations for the traditional lead-up race, The Roses 2015 at Doomben Racecourse this weekend.

Chris Waller’s Queensland Oaks hope Ballet Suite leads the 2015 The Roses nominations for this weekend in Brisbane. Photo: Daniel Costello.

A total of 18 three-year-old fillies are entered for this year’s $175,000 Group 2 The Roses (2000m) held on Saturday as part of the Doomben 10,000 Day action in Brisbane.

The set weights clash is an official lead-up race for fillies heading towards the $500,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) back at Doomben on May 30, and has produced all but one of the Queensland Oaks winners in the past 10 years.

The last filly to complete The Roses – Queensland Oaks double meanwhile was the Graeme Rogerson-trained Scarlett Lady back in 2011, a double more than a few fillies will be keen to complete this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

Leading the latest Queensland Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is Waller’s impressive Sunshine Coast Guineas winner from last weekend Winx at $2.30.

She’s the red hot favourite after her impressive come-from-behind win over the mile and is followed in the futures Queensland Oaks betting markets at $6.50 by stablemate Ballet Suite.

Waller’s High Chaparral filly Ballet Suite was last seen winning the Listed Princess Stakes (2000m) at Doomben on May 9 and will likely jump favourite over the same track and distance in The Roses this weekend.

Another Sydney raider coming off a gun run in the Princess Stakes last time out is the Gai Waterhouse-trained O’Reilly filly Bohemian Lily.

An $11 chance to win the Oaks, Bohemian Lily was beaten by only a quarter length last time out on the back of her win in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) in late April.

After Ballet Suite, the next best in Queensland Oaks betting nominated for The Roses is the Lisa Latta-trained Kiwi visitor Platinum Witness ($10).

An in-form daughter of California Dane, she was runner-up to Savaria in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) back home in mid-March and was last seen running second in the mud in New Zealand over 1400m on May 9.

She is tipped for improvement this weekend in her down under debut however when back up over a more suitable distance.

The other most notable Queensland Oaks hopes in The Roses entries are then the Bjorn Baker-trained Sebrina coming off a Warwick Farm win over the mile on May 6 and Sue Walsh’s Lucky Unicorn filly Exquisite Jewel.

Another New Zealander looking to upset the local hopes on Saturday and in the upcoming Oaks, Exquisite Jewel was fourth past the post in the NZ Oakis before a 2000m win and her last start second to Werther in the Group 2 Championship Stakes (2100m) back home on April 18.

Other notable The Roses nominees include Ben Currie’s Gold Coast Bracelet runner-up and Princess Stakes fourth placed Col ‘N’ Lil, and Kris Lees’ Group 3 winner in Adelaide Fitocracy out to atone for an eighth in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) last time out.

The Roses 2015 field is out on Wednesday making now the time to head over to Ladbrokes.com.au and check out their exclusive markets on the Oaks before odds firm!

2015 The Roses Nominations

Doomben Racecourse – 23/05/2015