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The money is coming for the now Chris Waller-trained Kiwi expat Ohope Wins to break her maiden status down under with the gun filly topping the 2026 Australian Cup betting markets in Sydney this weekend.
Day 2 of The Championships headlines the Saturday racing action in Australia with four elite levels peppered across the Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day card including the Group 1 $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m) for the three-year-old staying fillies.
This year it is a former New Zealander heading the Australian Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au with Ocean Park filly Ohope Wins paying $2.60 at time of publish to win second-up.
She strung together a hat-trick across the Tasman earlier in the year including her emphatic 2.2 length romp home in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) and she’s now tipped to complete the Trans-Tasman Oaks double.
In her Australian race debut, she was far from disgraced running under a length back fourth to Belle Cheval in Rosehill’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) on Slipper Day in a run that was far better than it reads on paper.
She was posted wide throughout yet ground all the way to the line in a dour performance to finish just out of the money five weeks ago.
Fitter for the run and back up to a more suitable distance now, the proven mile and a half performer brings outstanding Kiwi staying form to the table and her Vinery run should bring her on beautifully.
Add James McDonald and it’s not hard to see why she’s favourite.
The danger occupying the second line of ATC Oaks betting at $3.20 and firming is the early market mover Profoundly for trainer Michael Freedman.
The daughter of Farnan is the sole last start winner in this year’s Oaks field having dominated last weekend’s Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) on a Soft rated track.
She rebounded from her luckless Kembla third with a brilliant turn of foot last Saturday, exploding away to win the G3 and the way she powered through the line suggests the rise in trip holds no fears.
Colette (2020) is the last filly to complete the Adrian Knox Stakes – Australian Oaks double and the money is coming for the progressive Profoundly to be the next.
Tommy Berry sticks with on the quick back-up from wider out in gate 10 and with plenty of upside she’ll be there when it counts.
Just two other fillies are currently at single figure Australian Oaks odds for the win with After Summer ($8) and the Waller-trained Soverato ($8.50).
Prepared out of Flemington by Dominic Sutton, After Summer is a nicely bred daughter of The Autumn Sun who shapes up as the value in the Oaks.
She was desperately unlucky not to get the Vinery Stud Stakes on protest after her narrow second at Rosehill.
Also boasting strong spring credentials with a game third placing in the VRC Oaks, from a soft draw here with the flying Billy Egan sticking in the saddle she maps to enjoy a far more economical run and looks a major player who demands respect.
Soverato meanwhile is out to hand master horseman Waller his fifth ATC Oaks win since 2012 and jumps from a favourable barrier four draw with Kerrin McEvoy to ride.
After a close fourth behind Sixties when taking on the boys in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in mid-March at a big price, she was next best over the line behind After Summer in last weekend’s Adrian Knox and is rock-hard fit now ready to make up the ground late and challenge.
The 2026 Australian Oaks is scheduled to run as Randwick Race 5 at 2:05pm (AEST) as the first Group 1 on Saturday’s card.
2026 Australian Oaks Odds
| 1. Ohope Wins (7) J: James McDonald56kg 21114T: Chris Waller | ||
| 3. Profoundly (10) J: Tommy Berry56kg 4×131T: Michael Freedman | ||
| 2. After Summer (3) J: Billy Egan56kg 33×62T: Dominic Sutton | ||
| 7. Classic Gem (9) J: Damian Lane56kg 44×25T: Dominic Sutton |
CHANCES ARE YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE.
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