Savvy Coup will be trying to keep the Kiwi fillies strong winning record intact when she lines up in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) on day two of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday.
Unforgotten, above, is the early favourite for the 2018 Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
New Zealand trained fillies have won three of the last four runnings of the Australia Oaks with Rising Romance (2014), Sofia Rosa (2016) and Bonneval last year.
Savvy Coup has similar form as the Murray Baker trained Bonneval had going into last year’s Australian Oaks with wins at her last two starts in the Group 3 NZ$70,000 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on March 1 and in the Group 1 NZ$400,000 NZ Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 17.
Kiwi co-trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are hoping the month in between runs won’t affected Savvy Coup’s performance but they are confident she has held her winning form okay.
“It’s a tried-and-true recipe, we just hope we don’t let the side down,” Michael Pitman told AAP.
“It’s possibly a week more than would have been ideal but we would have had to squeeze one in before we left or race on Doncaster day and I decided not to run then because of the heat.”
Pitman is a little bit concerned with the unseasonal warm weather Sydney is experiencing at the moment with the temperatures in the lead up to the weekend forecast to be hovering around the thirty degrees mark with a very warm day predicted for Saturday.
“The local horses can handle it but from where I come from 18 is a hot day down south at the moment,” Pitman said.
“We’ve been here before. The main thing is keeping the horse comfortable.”
Savvy Coup is included among the top fancies for the Australian Oaks and is marked at $9 with Ladbrokes.com.au who have the Chris Waller trained filly Unforgotten as the $3.70 favourite just ahead of last Saturday’s Adrian Knox Stakes winner Luvaluva at $4.40.
Early betting for the 2018 Australian Oaks at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.70 Unforgotten, $4.40 Luvaluva, $6 Aloisia, $7 Hiyaam, $9 Savvy Coup, $13 Danzdanzdance, $17 Contessa Venessa, $26 Bring Me Roses, Caricature, Chilly Cha Cha, Jungle Fish, $31 Inspirante, Semari, $34 or better the rest.
