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Danny O’Brien‘s flying So You Think filly Getta Good Feeling ran the ideal 2025 VRC Oaks lead-up on Derby Day easily accounting for her rivals as the odds-on favourite in the Group 2 $300,000 Wakeful Stakes (2000m).
Winner of the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes at the Flemington track two back, she relished a return to HQ and a drop in grade following a brave third in Caulfield’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) when only a length beaten by Ole Dancer.
In her first shot at 2000m, the progressive three-year-old handled the extra distance without a worry saluting for the punters by 1.25 lengths on the line over Strictly Business with Voting Rights running third in the 2025 Wakeful Stakes results.
Ridden by the in-form Mark Zahra, Getta Good Feeling ($1.60F) demolished her fellow fillies in the traditional Oaks lead-up looking to have plenty more to give as she prepares to step up to 2500m on the quick back-up.
“We’ve made no secret of our respect for this filly from her first start in Geelong we’ve had this week in mind for her,” O’Brien told Racing.com post-win.
“It doesn’t always play out as smoothly as what it has for her this spring but so far so good.
“She’s going to go to the Oaks in great shape.
“She’s a filly that is big and strong by So You Think. He won a Mackinnon Stakes on this day about 15 years ago and he’s passed away so it is great to see his filly turning up and winning this, and hopefully the Oaks on Thursday.”
Kept quiet until the final furlong, Getta Good Feeling sat back just off the speed before being asked to let down by Zahra 200m out from the line.
Quick to respond, she raced well clear of the field before coasting to the line under minimal pressure.
Zahra eased her down the closing stages to save some for her grand final in five days’ time, adding further merit to the seamless victory.
“She’s a very nice horse to ride,” he said.
“Flew the start, then I was able to sit outside the leader on a moderate tempo, relaxed really well, she stargazed pretty much all the way up the straight, she did it effortlessly.
“It was just the sort of win you hope for going into an Oaks.
“On the Saturday and most of them going to the Oaks, if you do that (shake it up) you can ruin your horse.
“I think everyone rode their race and the best horse won.”
Getta Good Feeling further firmed in all-in betting on Thursday’s Group 1 $1 million VRC Oaks (2500m) from $3 to $2 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Treasurethe Moment (2024) completed the Wakeful Stakes – Oaks double last year, and there is plenty of money now coming for Getta Good Feeling to repeat the feat this Melbourne Cup Carnival.
O’Brien will be chasing his second VRC Oaks victory next week following his 2019 success with Miami Bound who also came via a win in the Wakeful.
“They’re different types,” he said when asked to compare his Oaks filly this year with Miami Bound.
“Miami Bound was a smallish filly but the same sort of constitution.
“You need a tough filly to find her way through the Oaks particularly when you want to do the back up.
“This filly has got a great constitution like Miami Bound had.”
The Wakeful was run on an ideal Good (4) rated Flemington track, but with rain pending between now and Oaks Day, O’Brien remains confident Getta Good Feeling will handle any surface.
“I think it would suit her, to be fair,” he said.
“So You Think gets a lot of very good wettrackers and I don’t think she’ll be an exception.”
Wakeful Stakes 2025 Results
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1st
1. Getta Good Feeling (6)
J: Mark Zahra 57kg
T: Danny O'Brien |
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2nd
5. Strictly Business (1)
J: John Allen 55kg
T: Thomas Carberry |
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3rd
8. Voting Rights (3)
J: Jordan Childs 55kg
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
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4th
7. Fashionable (4)
J: Tommy Berry 55kg
T: Michael Freedman |
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5th
9. Perfect Night (7)
J: Harry Coffey 55kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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6th
2. Ethereum Girl (2)
J: Michael Dee 57kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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7th
4. Prestige Snitzel (5)
J: Jamie Mott 55kg
T: Matt Laurie |
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8th
3. Freedom Flame (9)
J: Jamie Melham 56kg
T: Andrew Gluyas |
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9th
10. Crismera (8)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 55kg
T: Mark Walker |
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