The Queensland Oaks are on tomorrow. Last year's first two placegetters - Another Dollar and Youngstar - both nominated for the 2018 Melbourne Cup, with the latter making the final field and finishing in 6th position. The winner of the Oaks will score $300,000: which was enough to be 31st in the initial Order of Entry list last year (Youngstar also came 3rd in the Queensland Derby - another qualifying race - which bumped her eligible prizemoney up enough so that she was in 28th). Youngstar subsequently earned $120,000 for a 7th placing in the Caulfield Cup to be #22 on the big day.

While of course dependent on overseas entrants, the Oaks winner will be in a very good position to make the Melbourne Cup final field. Northern hemisphere 3 years olds in the Cup have also collectively been penalised 1kg this year, so perhaps that will result in fewer entries making their way here.

The race favourite is PRINCESS JENNI, who has a 4kg advantage on the rest of the field per the official handicap ratings. She won the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville earlier this month over 2000m on a soft track. She also has the same sire as Youngstar: High Chaparral. Her broodmare sire is Zabeel, which is a mix that has had some pretty good results. Per the Nicking Stats for mares by Zabeel (NZ) when bred to High Chaparral (IRE), progeny have nearly 5 times the average earning index. It looks like she'll have no problem getting the Cup distance; to the extent that I was worried she may be too dour. Following her Australasian Oaks win though, a stable rep said: "Every time since her maiden win, she's always been sharp, always had a serious turn of foot and to overcome a bunch of problems in the run to sprint like that when the gap came was impressive." So if Princess Jenni can back up and win tomorrow she's a good chance of making the Cup field....and finishing 5th-10th. (No mare has finished better than 5th the past 11 runnings).



Overseas this weekend, one could cast their gaze to the Group 2 Grand Prix De Chantilly or the Group 1 Coronation Cup.

The latter, set to jump just after midnight tonight, is likely to be of more interest, with the following starters:
Communique
Cypress Creek
Defoe
Kew Gardens
Marmelo
Morando
Old Persian
Salouen
Lah Ti Dar

Kew Gardens was number 1 in the Melbourne Cup order of entry last year but elected not to come. He's favourite here at $3.25, with Old Persian ($4) and Lah Ti Dar ($4.50) close behind. Last year's Melbourne Cup second placegetter Marmelo is at $19.



Finche (4th) came through the Grand Prix De Chantilly last year. It's on June 2nd and it may be easier to find the runners in a day or so.