A top field of three-year-old staying fillies take to the Randwick track on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday for the Australian Oaks 2018, our complete form guide analysis and betting preview for which is detailed below.
Set to run as Royal Randwick Race 6 at 2:25pm (AEST), this season’s Group 1 $1 million James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) features a line-up of 13 hopefuls.
The latest Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are an open affair with the first five in the race all under $10 for the win.
Current narrow favourite leading the Australian Oaks betting markets at $4 is the Chris Waller-trained Unforgotten, Waller of Winx fame chasing his second win after success with Royal Descent in 2013.
Unforgotten beat the boys two back in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) and is out to improve on her last start second to Hiyaam in Rosehill’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), a race that last produced an ATC Oaks winner in Rising Romance (4th in 2014).
Mick Price’s Vinery Stud Stakes winner Hiyaam is also in the mix drawn the rails as she chases the Group 1 double, the VRC Oaks third placegetter from the spring the big early market mover backed in from $7 to $4.60.
The other genuine chances in the markets include Ciaron Maher’s Vinery Stud Stakes third placegetter Aloisia ($6.50) and the flying John Sargent-trained Luvaluva chasing a third win on the trot from the outside barrier (13) on the quick back-up after success in last weekend’s Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) with the big weight.
Below we go over the complete ATC Oaks 2018 form guide, betting history and race statistics to sort the best from the rest in this year’s race.
2018 Australian Oaks Form Facts & Betting Stats
- Last year’s Australian Oaks winner was the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Kiwi Bonneval (2017) coming off a NZ Oaks win and who was ridden to victory by Hugh Bowman from barrier 6 (of 13) as the race favourite
- Bonneval was the third NZ-trained filly to win the race in four years and the second out of the NZ Oaks after Sofia Rosa (2nd in 2016)
- The New Zealand-trained fillies in the ATC Oaks field this year are: #4 Savvy Coup ($7.50), #7 Contessa Vanessa ($18), #8 Danzdanzdance ($16) and #10 She’s A Treasure ($34)
- #4 Savvy Coup is out to do the NZ Oaks – ATC Oaks double emulating Bonneval from last autumn
- #7 Contessa Vanessa is also a NZ Oaks graduate having run second in the 2400m event on March 17
- The previous Australian Oaks winning trainers with a runner this weekend are: Chris Waller with #3 Unforgotten, John Sargent with #5 Luvaluva, Graeme Rogerson with #7 Contessa Vanessa and Michael Kent with #13 Wild Sea
- Last year’s ATC Oaks winning jockey Hugh Bowman chases a third win on the trot and his fifth overall aboard #3 Unforgotten
- There are no other previous Australian Oaks winning jockeys with a ride on the weekend
- #3 Unforgotten ($4) leads current ATC Oaks betting and is out to be just the third favourite to salute in the race since 2006
- Last year’s winning barrier (6) has produced two ATC Oaks winners since 1983 and belongs this year to #9 Chilly Cha Cha ($34)
- The most successful Australian Oaks barrier (since 1983) producing six winners is gate five drawn this year by #7 Contessa Vanessa ($18)
- Barrier 1 with five wins is the next best in that time drawn on Saturday by #2 Hiyaam ($4.60)
- Only one of the past eight Australian Oaks winners jumped from a double-digit barrier; the widely-drawn runners this year are: #12 Naivasha (10), #11 Miss Admiration (11), #6 Bring Me Roses (12) and #5 Luvaluva (13)
- Since 2006 just one Australian Oaks winner finished worse than fourth in their final lead-up; this year that rules out: #6 Bring Me Roses, #8 Danzdanzdance, #10 She’s A Treasure and #11 Miss Admiration
- The Adrian Knox Stakes has produced two ATC Oaks winners since 2013; the Adrian Knox Stakes graduates in the mix this year are: Luvaluva (1st), Chilly Cha Cha (3rd) and She’s A Treasure (6th)
- #5 Luvaluva ($5.50) chases the Adrian Knox Stakes – Australian Oaks double last completed by Royal Descent (2013)
- #2 Hiyaam ($4.60) meanwhile chases the Vinery Stud Stakes – Australian Oaks Group 1 double last achieved by Heavenly Glow (2008)
- The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #3 Unforgotten (50%), #9 Chilly Cha Cha (50%) and #13 Wild Sea (50%)
- The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #2 Hiyaam (75%), #3 Unforgotten (75%), #4 Savvy Coup (75%) and #9 Chilly Cha Cha (75%)
- #4 Savvy Coup (1:1-0-0) is the only filly with winning form over the distance
- #5 Luvaluva (3:1-1-0) is the only filly with previous winning form at the Randwick track
Stay tuned for our insider ATC Oaks 2018 tips, a full race form guide found below in the meantime courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.