Following Tuesday’s iconic Melbourne Cup when the 164th winner of the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’ is crowned, the Melbourne Cup Carnival action continues at Flemington Thursday with the 2024 VRC Crown Oaks where the airborne Treasurethe Moment is favourite to continue her ace form.
The Group 1 $1 million VRC Oaks (2500m) is again sponsored by Crown in 2024 and runs as the 2024 Crown Oaks on Thursday afternoon.
The VRC Oaks field features 14 of the season’s best staying fillies led by the flying Matt Laurie-trained daughter of Alabama Express, Treasurethe Moment, who chases her fourth win on the trot.
At her latest she rose in grade on Derby Day for the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and won that key Oaks lead-up in style by 1.75 lengths.
On the quick back-up she now rises in distance and heads the latest VRC Oaks odds online at $3.30 and firming through Ladbrokes.com.au with Damian Lane retaining the ride from wider out in gate 12.
The Wakeful Stakes has produced 11 of the past 20 VRC Oaks winners with the last to do the double being Willowy (2021).
The danger following very closely in VRC Oaks betting at $3.60 is the other best out of the Wakeful from last Saturday with the runner-up Powers Of Opal a chance to turn the tables.
John Sargent‘s Ocean Park filly was short-priced favourite in the Wakeful after a dominant 5.45 length Hawkesbury maiden win over the mile.
She failed to get the job done for the punters however but in her second Group 1 assignment after a Flight Stakes fourth in Sydney earlier, there is money for her to atone from a good gate nine draw with James McDonald aboard again in the Oaks.
McDonald rode Zardozi, who lines up in Tuesday’s 24-horse Melbourne Cup field a genuine chance, to victory in the race last year and chases back-to-back wins by a hoop for the first time since Damien Oliver rode three on the trot from 2019-21.
In an open top half of the Oaks market a further two fillies are also at single figures to win with the Nathan Doyle-trained Harlem Queen ($6) and the ultra-consistent Dan O’Sullivan-trained Too Darn Discreet ($8) also coming off a hot streak of wins.
Brutal filly Harlem Queen was runner-up in Randwick’s Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) two back before stepping out against the boys for a brave Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) fourth behind El Castello on October 26 only two lengths beaten.
Too Darn Discreet, a daughter of sire of the moment Too Darn Hot, has won her latest three straight in Melbourne including the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) followed by the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day.
The 2024 Crown Oaks is set to run as Flemington Race 8 at 5:10pm (AEDT) on Thursday’s card.
Crown Oaks 2024 Odds & Results
Crown Oaks (G1)
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
|
1st
1. Treasurethe Moment (12)
J: Damian Lane 56kg
T: Matt Laurie |
||
|
2nd
5. Powers Of Opal (9)
J: James McDonald 56kg
T: J G Sargent |
||
|
3rd
11. Hurry Curry (7)
J: Joao Moreira 56kg
T: Danny O'Brien |
||
|
4th
3. Harlem Queen (5)
J: Blake Shinn 56kg
T: Nathan Doyle |
||
|
5th
6. Pleasure Artist (6)
J: Craig Williams 56kg
T: R & W Freedman |
||
|
6th
2. Too Darn Discreet (3)
J: Michael Dee 56kg
T: Dan O'Sullivan |
||
|
7th
12. Inevitable Truth (1)
J: Jye McNeil 56kg
T: J G Sargent |
||
|
8th
10. Noises (11)
J: Andrew Adkins 56kg
T: Brad Widdup |
||
|
9th
4. Rag Queen (4)
J: Chad Schofield 56kg
T: David Payne |
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|
10th
13. Placid Pearl (14)
J: Ben Melham 56kg
T: Matthew Smith |
||
|
11th
7. Talisay (8)
J: Billy Egan 56kg
T: Byron Cozamanis |
||
|
12th
8. Femminile (13)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 56kg
T: Phillip Stokes |
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|
13th
14. All Kinds Of Folk (10)
J: Luke Currie 56kg
T: John & Chris Ledger |
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|
14th
9. Killcare Beachgirl (2)
J: Tim Clark 56kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
Data retrieved: 13/12/2024 11:10:23 PM (Australia/Brisbane)
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