Unsurprisingly the Ciaron Maher-trained Jameka remains clear favourite in Australian Oaks 2016 betting for this weekend at Royal Randwick despite her wide barrier for the three-year-old filliesâ classic.
Jameka heads the 2016 ATC Oaks betting markets for Randwick this Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Last spring Maherâs daughter of Myboycharlie took out the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on a Heavy-rated track, and she is likely to get similar rain-affected track in Sydney for this Saturdayâs $1 million Group 1 James Boagâs Premium Australian Oaks (2400m).
Proven over the distance and in the mud, Jameka sits top of the Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.60 to overcome the outside alley in a capacity 14-starter field.
She comes off a string of eye-catching autumn runs behind the boys including her Rosehill Guineas third on March 19 and her brave second to Tavago in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) last Saturday.
On the quick back-up, Jameka will appreciate getting back against her own kind, but no filly has won the Australian Oaks from wider than barrier 13 in over 30 years.
That said, she overcome barrier 14 of 14 in the Rosehill Guineas and 12 of 13 in the Derby to finish in the money in her two latest runs and jockey Damien Oliver retains his association.
Following Jameka in the latest Australian Oaks betting markets are four other single figure hopes including the $4.60 second pick Happy Hanna for Peter & Paul Snowden.
A lightly-race More Than Ready filly, Happy Hannah has just her sixth start on Saturday and sees the 2400m for the first time.
She won back-to-back races earlier in the season in non-stakesâ company before connections threw her into the deep end on March 26 at Rosehill in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
Happy Hannah, who is drawn in barrier seven with Blake Shinn booked for the ride on Saturday, more than held her own in the Vinery when second to Single Gaze beaten just a length.
If she handles the extra metres this weekend she is a big hope to finish in the money again to join Rising Romance (4th in 2014), Streama (2nd in 2012) and Once Were Wild (5th in 2010) as the most recent Australian Oaks winners to come out of the Vinery Stud Stakes.
The next best in betting are then the three New Zealand-trained raiders in the mix: Capella ($7.50), Valley Girl ($8.50) and the early market mover Sofia Rosa ($11 into $8.50).
The Kiwi visitor Tavago scored the ATC Derby upset last weekend off a NZ Derby sixth and now it is the filliesâ turn on Saturday.
Dancia Guyâs Rip Van Winkle filly Capella was fourth in the NZ Derby before a close fifth beaten under two lengths in the Vinery Stud in her down under debut, but she has the second widest alley to overcome in Saturdayâs Oaks.
Valley Girl comes off very similar form, the Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs-trained daughter of Mastercraftsman fifth in the NZ Derby and runner-up in the Vinery Stud Stakes with Hong Kong-based jockey Brett Prebble retaining the ride this weekend.
As for Sofia Rosa, early money is coming for the Stephen Marsh-trained Hugh Bowman-ridden Makfi filly who is yet to race in Australia but who caught the eye with a devastatingly close second in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) on March 19.
Outside the single figure hopes the other most notable hopes after the upset include John Thompsonâs Crown Oaks runner-up from last November Honesta ($11), the Vinery Stud Stakes winner Single Gaze ($15) shooting for three wins on the trot and the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Sacred Eye ($17) with the inside run from barrier one.
See below for the full ATC Australian Oaks 2016 odds, fixed win betting open now at our preferred online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au!