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The road to the 2026 VRC Oaks took another fascinating turn at Caulfield on Saturday when progressive filly Quick Finish announced herself as a genuine staying prospect with a tough victory in the Group 3 $240,000 Ethereal Stakes (2000m).
Sent out as a $15 outsider in the second on Caulfield Cup Day, the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained daughter of Grunt continued her rapid rise through the ranks, leading throughout under a confident ride from Jye McNeil before holding off a late challenge from Your Colour to score by half a length. Another half-length away in third was Refuse To Curtsy, completing a trifecta of fillies who have all tightened significantly in future Oaks betting following the key Flemington lead-up.
The result had an immediate impact on the market, with Ladbrokes trimming Quick Finish from $26 into $9 in all-in betting on the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m). Runner-up Your Colour also attracted strong support, firming from $15 into $6, while third-placed Refuse To Curtsy shortened dramatically from $34 into $11.
VRC Oaks 2026 Odds
| 1. Proxima Dea | ||
| 2. Your Colour | ||
| 3. Platinum Pearl | ||
| 4. Quick Finish | ||
| 5. Tharwa | ||
| 6. Refuse To Curtsy |
With the fillies staying feature now firmly in sight, Saturday’s Ethereal Stakes 2026 results shapes as a race likely to have major implications for the Oaks picture.
Quick Finish Continues Remarkable Rise
Just weeks ago Quick Finish was competing in a maiden on the Ballarat Synthetic, but her development this preparation has been nothing short of impressive.
Having already claimed the HKJC World Pool Classics Preview over 1800 metres at Caulfield, the filly made it three victories from just four starts when she stepped up to 2000 metres and proved far too tough for her rivals.
Representing Yulong, who also bred the filly, Quick Finish gave trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy another exciting spring contender and further validated their belief that she would relish the rise to classic distances.
Speaking after the race, Calvin McEvoy praised both the filly’s fitness and her ability to handle the staying journey.
“She’s a fit, forward filly, trained at Ballarat so credit to the team there,” he said.
“She looked incredibly well, we thought we’d utilise her going forward, she’s very fit.
“Thought a few of these might be a query at the trip, whereas this filly certainly wasn’t.
“So, very exciting for Yulong, they bred this girl. She’s continuing to raise the bar, which is fantastic.”
Oaks Dream Gathering Momentum
The Ethereal Stakes has long been regarded as one of the most influential lead-up races to the VRC Oaks, and the McEvoy stable now appears to have a serious contender for the Flemington classic.
Pinot (2017) was the last filly to complete the Ethereal Stakes – VRC Oaks double.
McEvoy believes Saturday’s performance further confirmed the filly’s staying credentials and said the team could hardly be happier with where she sits heading towards the major target.
“We think she’ll stay,” he said.
“So, obviously another box ticked today.
“We don’t have to do a lot with her, she goes down to Lucy Boyd’s in between runs down in Ballarat for a couple of days of dressage which seems to suit her and we couldn’t have been happier with how she presented today.”
The timetable leading into the Oaks is also ideal according to the trainer, who revealed Quick Finish would enjoy a quiet period before her next assignment.
“Absolutely perfect, she won’t do much into it,” McEvoy said.
“I think we trust her lungs and her ability to stay.
“As you can see she looks fantastic, so we’re very happy to have a live chance going into the Oaks.”
Front-Running Tactics Prove the Difference
Quick Finish’s victory was built on a brave display in front, with jockey McNeil executing the stable’s plan perfectly.
The filly was allowed to roll along at her preferred rhythm and quickly turned the contest into a genuine staying test, placing the pressure firmly on her rivals before kicking strongly around the home turn.
McEvoy credited McNeil’s understanding of the filly as a crucial factor in the win.
“She’s not that easy to be honest and Jye knows her well,” he said.
“If you grab hold of her she can get onto one rein and not do things right so we want to roll with her and go with her and we’ve learned that over time and it seems to be effective.”
Despite facing challenges throughout the run, Quick Finish never stopped fighting.
“She quickened well on the bend and she was in front for a very long way, so I’m proud of her, proud of the team and she’ll head on towards the Oaks now, which is exciting for Yulong.”
McNeil Full of Confidence Ahead of Flemington
McNeil has partnered the filly throughout her rise and believes her progression through the grades has been driven largely by her ability to improve as the distances increase.
The premiership-winning jockey was delighted with the determination she displayed after being pressured during the race and said her staying qualities were becoming more apparent with every start.
“The team know her very well, as do I,” McNeil said.
“Crazy to think we’ve come from a Ballarat Synthetic maiden to where we are today.”
“I tell you what, she didn’t get much peace in the early and middle stages, I stuck to plan A which was to make it a testing 2000 metres.”
“She’s a free-rolling horse who enjoys that role up in front and I was stoked with her performance.”
The further she has gone, the better she has raced, a trend McNeil expects can continue when she steps up to the Oaks distance.
“She obviously stays,” he said.
“As the races have gotten longer she’s really come into her own.
“Each time the team has raised the bar she’s up for the challenge, hopefully we’re on the way to the Oaks.”
Oaks Market Takes Shape
While Quick Finish emerged as the biggest winner from the Ethereal Stakes, the performances of Your Colour and Refuse To Curtsy ensured they also enhanced their credentials for the Flemington feature.
Your Colour’s strong runner-up effort saw the Chris Waller-trained filly surge from $15 to $6 in VRC Oaks betting, while Refuse To Curtsy’s determined third has her right in the mix after firming from $34 to $11.
For now though, the spotlight belongs to Quick Finish, whose rise from provincial maiden company to Group 3 glory has been one of the spring’s emerging success stories.
If Saturday’s performance is any indication, the improving filly has every chance of adding her name to the growing list of Ethereal Stakes graduates who have gone on to make their mark in the Victoria Oaks, with her dramatic move in futures betting suggesting punters now believe the dream is very much alive.
