Jockey Glen Boss celebrated his fourth success in the Australian Oaks 2020 results aboard the very promising Godolphin-raced filly Colette who lead home the exact same trifecta as in the Adrian Knox Stakes a week ago at the track.
This autumn the trend of horses backing-up off a testing run on a Heavy track continued to hold strong as the same three fillies that finished first – third in last Saturday’s Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes dominated the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Oaks (2400m) on Day 2 of The Championships.
Becoming the first filly to complete the Adrian Knox – Australian Oaks double since Royal Descent in 2013, the well-bred James Cummings-trained daughter of Hallowed Crown was far too good for her rivals again on the short turnaround.
Posting her fourth win on the trot, a winning streak that started with a six-length romp home at Newcastle in a Class 1 over 1885m back in early February, Colette continued her rise through the staying ranks in a big result for the stable.
She took out the Adrian Knox on a Heavy (8) by nearly three lengths with James McDonald aboard last weekend, but it was Boss who piloted her home in an easy victory in the Oaks – his first since Serenade Rose back in 2006 and his 85th career Group 1.
Triple figure roughie Strange Charm from the outside draw began very quickly and cut right across the face of the field to lead along the fence ahead of the Vinery Stud Stakes winner Shout The Bar.
Boss also had Colette positioned right up on the speed early in third position, happy with the initial slow pace of the race that turned out to be a genuine mile and a half staying test on another Heavy (8) track.
On the superior staying filly, Boss always looked in control despite an interesting midrace move by rival hoop Jason Colette who looked to quicken the speed aboard Stick ‘Em Up.
Stick ‘Em Up went right around the field to take up the lead with 1200m left to go, her hoop pulling the trigger a long way out.
Boss meanwhile was tracking along beautifully in fourth, full of confidence.
The Group 1 winning Kiwi filly Probabeel started to pick up out three wide grinding away at the 600m, but having raced second last throughout, was still 12 lengths off the leader at the 600m and never in the finish.
Stick ‘Em Up led into the turn trying to steal the Oaks, but Boss quickly swung out wider aboard Colette moving up on the outside and taking the lead at the 300m.
From there it was all gravy, the favourite flying home in a spectacular win in the Oaks with three lengths to spare on the line over the Chris Waller-trained Adrian Knox runner-up Toffee Tongue ($15).
Quintessa ($15) for Arrowfield 3YO Sprint winning trainer Mark Newnham ran on to finish third again having done so just seven days earlier in what proved to be the superior form race to follow into the Oaks.
2020 Australian Oaks Results
Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight | SP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | COLETTE | James Cummings | Glen Boss | – | 4 | 56kg | $3F |
2 | 7 | TOFFEE TONGUE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 2.5L | 2 | 56kg | $15 |
3 | 9 | QUINTESSA | Mark Newnham | Nash Rawiller | 5.5L | 5 | 56kg | $16 |
4 | 3 | NUDGE | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 5.7L | 6 | 56kg | $13 |
5 | 12 | STICK ’EM UP | John Sargent | Jason Collett | 6.1L | 8 | 56kg | $31 |
6 | 2 | SHOUT THE BAR | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Adam Hyeronimus | 7.3L | 10 | 56kg | $6 |
7 | 13 | SATIN RAIN | Anthony Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 10.1L | 3 | 56kg | $201 |
8 | 1 | PROBABEEL (NZ) | Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson | 10.2L | 12 | 56kg | $3.20 |
9 | 14 | COSMIC HAZE | Brett Cavanough | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 13.7L | 7 | 56kg | $201 |
10 | 10 | ASPECT RATIO | John Sargent | Ms Rachel King | 14.5L | 13 | 56kg | $81 |
11 | 6 | CONTRITION (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Sam Clipperton | 16.3L | 11 | 56kg | $101 |
12 | 11 | STRANGE CHARM | Anthony Cummings | Jean Van Overmeire (a) | 17.9L | 14 | 56kg | $201 |
13 | 8 | DOROTHY OF OZ | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 20.7L | 1 | 56kg | $31 |
14 | 5 | GAME OF THORNS | Kris Lees | Brenton Avdulla | 29.3L | 9 | 56kg | $26 |