2016 Australian Oaks Field: Jameka Draws Wide Again

Ciaron Maher’s Crown Oaks winning filly Jameka has suffered yet another wide barrier draw this autumn coming up with the outside alley in a capacity Australian Oaks 2016 field for this weekend.

2016 Australian Oaks favourite Jameka has drawn wide in the outside barrier for Saturday’s fillies’ feature at Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The talented daughter of Myboycharlie is the headline final acceptor for this year’s $1 million Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m), which is set to run as Royal Randwick Race 6 at 2:35pm (AEST) on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday.

Of the 16 final acceptors, 14 will line-up from the barriers and Jameka has drawn the far outside gate in her bid at another Group 1 success.

She took out the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) in the wet at Flemington last November and has had four brave runs this time in, the last three against the colts and geldings in Group 1 company.

Jameka has suffered wide draws in all three of those runs starting with her fifth to Palentino from gate 12 of 15 in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in Melbourne.

Two back she crossed third to Tarzino in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) from gate 14 of 14.

Last Saturday she went back up to the mile and a half and was far from disgraced when runner-up to upset New Zealand-trained champion Tavago from barrier 12 of 13 in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m).

Jockey Damien Oliver continues his association with the $1.5 million earner who is on the quick seven day turnaround on Saturday looking to be the first Australian Oaks winner to come off a Derby run since Sunday Joy (12^th) in 2003.

She is also looking to become the first winner from a double digit gate since Daffodil (11 of 18) in 2009, and the first in over 30 years to win from wider than gate 13.

Still, Jameka is the best in Australian Oaks betting at Ladbrokes.com.au having proven her class against the boys from wide alleys and with previous winning form over the distance.

Two last start winners are in the ATC Oaks mix this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival with the in-form Nick Olive-trained Single Gaze and Bruce Cross’s upset Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) winner last weekend Diamond Made.

Drawn in gate nine, Not A Single Doubt filly Not A Single Gaze is up over the distance for the first time after scoring back-to-back wins in March.

The latest was on March 26 at Rosehill in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), Kathy O’Hara retaining the ride with Single Gaze out to become the first Vinery graduate since Rising Romance (4^th) in 2014 to win the Oaks next-up.

Diamond Made earned her Oaks shot on Doncaster Day winning the Adrian Knox as a $41 roughie in betting, and Cross is confident she’ll run a credible race seven days later over the 2400m.

The Adrian Knox Stakes has produced two of the past three ATC Oaks winners with Royal Descent completing the double in 2013 and Gust Of Wind improving on her fourth in the Group 3 lead-up 12 months ago.

Also out of the Adrian Knox Stakes into the Group 1 are the third placegetter Zasorceress who is the first emergency in the Oaks and the fourth placed Sacred Eye.

The David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Sacred Eye gets the inside run from barrier one on the weekend, the gate last producing an Australian Oaks winner back in 2003 with Sunday Joy.

Nicholas Hall takes over in the saddle of the High Chaparral filly however with Sacred Eye’s jockey from last weekend Hugh Bowman, who also rode Winx to victory in the Doncaster Mile, opting to take the ride on Sofia Rosa this Saturday.

Prepared in New Zealand by Stephen Marsh, Makfi filly Sofia Rosa is yet to race down under but comes off a second in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) from March 19.

The Kiwi three-year-old staying form held up in the ATC Derby last Saturday, Tavago having run sixth in the NZ Derby before his win down under, and Sofia Rosa will look to continue that in the fillies’ equivalent.

Also representing the New Zealanders is the Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs-trained Vinery Stud Stakes runner-up Valley Girl who ran fifth in the NZ Derby two back and the Dancia Guy-trained Capella who was fourth in the NZ Derby before a fifth over less distance in the Vinery.

See below for the full Australian Oaks 2016 field, barriers and jockeys then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to open a new account quoting the code BETBONUS when you first make a deposit to enjoy up to $500 in bonuses!

2016 Australian Oaks Final Field & Barrier Draw

Randwick Race 6 (2:35pm) – 09/04/2016