JJ Atkins runner-up Aloisia is doing everything right ahead of her spring return where connections of the Ciaron Maher-trained filly are looking at run in the Thousand Guineas 2017 a likely VRC Oaks bid.

Aloisia will be set for this season’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
The OTI-raced daughter of Azamour joined Maher in Melbourne from across the Tasman, where she had her opening two career starts, in the winter this year.
She debuted for the stable with a first-up win over 1400m at Flemington, defeating previous Pakenham winning Tavistock colt Salsamor by nearly a length.
Maher threw Aloisia into the deep end after that, taking her to Brisbane for a shot at the Group 1 $600,000 J.J. Atkins (1600m).
Jumping a $12 shout in the markets for the mile feature, contested at Doomben on June 10, the then two-year-old put in a tremendous run for second behind the local Paul Butterworth-trained winner Capital Gain.
Sent to the paddock to mature after the J.J. Atkins, Aloisia is gearing up for her three-year-old campaign with part owner Terry Henderson looking at the Group 1 $500,000 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield Racecourse as an early elite level target on October 14.
“She’s looking very smart and she’s bred to be an Oaks filly, but she’s precocious enough to go to the Thousand Guineas first,” Henderson told the New Zealand Racing Desk.
“We don’t find too may two-year-olds over there [in New Zealand]. We usually wait a little longer, but we were keeping an eye on her and she came along.
“When she trialled so well [winning over 800m at Cranbourne on May 8] all the local guys took a piece so it’s great for her to win for our existing clients.”
Early 2017 Thousand Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the nominated fillies are led by Catchy ($9), while Aloisia is at a current quote of $17 to win the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day feature.
Lindsay Park’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy resumed last Saturday at Caulfield finishing a close second behind Crown Witness as the beaten favourite in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m).
Looking further ahead to the Melbourne Cup Carnival, there’s a chance Aloisia will be extended out over further distance opening up a possible shot at the Group 1 $1 million Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington Racecourse on November 9.
VRC Kennedy Oaks nominations for 2017 are open until September 26, all-in markets on the feature listing Aloisia as the $15 second elect behind Darren Weir’s progressive daughter of High Chaparral Anchor Bid ($13).
Maher has dominated the recent VRC Oaks results preparing two of the past three winners with Set Square (2014) and Jameka (2015).
To back Aloisia over the spring at the guaranteed best racing odds, and to access the top Group 1 futures markets, visit Ladbrokes.com.au today.