Top hoop Kerrin McEvoy is tipping a big autumn campaign for the Lindsay Park-trained filly Formality who he tips as a hard-to-beat chance first-up in the 2018 Oakleigh Plate.
Smart Lindsay Park-trained filly Formality kicks off her autumn on February 24 in the Oakleigh Plate 2018. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
McEvoy was at Flemington on Friday morning putting a host of horses for David & Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig through their paces at the jump-outs.
Among them was a gun three-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock, Formality, who McEvoy rode five times on the trot last season.
As a two-year-old this filly enjoyed back-to-back wins to kick off her career before the brave third to stablemate Catchy in the Group Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
McEvoy jumped aboard her for the first time in the spring winning both the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
A Golden Rose flop followed when Formality ran 11th to upset winner Trapeze Artist, but she was quick to bounce back winning the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) in October.
She was last seen running down the famous Flemington straight on VRC Derby Day in November when a devastatingly close third just a quarter-length off the winner Merchant Navy in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
On Friday morning McEvoy was full of post jump-out praise for Formality who is down to resume on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day, February 24, in the Group 1 $500,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).
“It was only her first hit-out but she’s also in for a good campaign,” McEvoy told Racing Victoria.
“She’s got a good racing pattern, loves Caulfield and will get into the Oakleigh with no weight on her back.”
The Lindsay Park stable won the race last year with classy mare Sheidel (2017), while co-trainer David Hayes also prepared the 2011 Oakleigh Plate winner Eagle Falls who won in an upset at odds of 20/1.
In this autumn’s Oakleigh Plate, Formality will be out to become the first three-year-old winner since Starspangledbanner (2010) and the first filly to take out the race since Miss Kournikova (2001).
McEvoy meanwhile has enjoyed one previous Oakleigh Plate winning ride when partnering the Gerald Ryan-trained mare Mrs Onassis for success in 2011.
Current all-in Oakleigh Plate odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Russian Revolution ($4.20) as the favourite for Peter & Paul Snowden.
The four-year-old Snitzel entire has won six of his 10 career starts to date, including most notably Rosehill’s Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) first-up last March on a Heavy (10) track defeating his subsequent The Everest – Darley Classic winning stablemate Redzel.
Formality is listed as a $13 chance in futures Oakleigh Plate betting, while fellow three-year-old filly and last season’s Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign is a $6 chance.
To back your early Oakleigh Plate 2018 tips at the best all-in prices visit Ladbrokes.com.au today.
