Early Queensland Oaks favourite Imposing Lass headlines nominations for Saturday’s traditional lead-up race The Roses 2016 at Doomben Racecourse.
2016 Queensland Oaks favourite Imposing Lass is the headline nominee for Saturday’s The Roses in Brisbane. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The key act on the Doomben Cup Day card in Brisbane, this year’s $175,000 Group 2 Magic Millions The Roses (2000m) has attracted a bumper 29 three-year-old fillies at nomination stage.
A set weights clash, it is contested by youngsters heading towards a run in the $500,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) over the mile and a half at Eagle Farm on June 4.
The last mare to complete The Roses – Queensland Oaks double was Scarlett Lady (2011) and this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival the bookies are tipping the Bjorn Baker-trained Makfi filly Imposing Lass to be the next.
She has won her past four starts on the trot dating back to December last year, the latest being the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) on May 7.
Futures Queensland Oaks odds have her at $6 for the win at Ladbrokes.com.au, the sole single figure hope as the all-in markets stand, which is a price set to firm if she lines-up and wins Saturday’s The Roses.
The other two best fancied fillies in Queensland Oaks betting at $10 are the John O’Shea-trained Ambience and Peter & Paul Snowden’s Falkenberg, both also in the mix for The Roses.
Street Cry filly Ambience was third to Jameka in last November’s Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) and has had four runs since over the autumn in Sydney.
The latest of those was on April 9 at Randwick when beaten only half a length as a $41 roughie in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m), form that can stack up in the Queensland edition with a The Roses run in between in the Sunshine State.
Progressive More Than Ready filly Falkenberg meanwhile comes off back-to-back fourths behind current QLD Oaks favourite I’m Imposing, the latest of which was in the Gold Coast Bracelet when defeated under two lengths.
Team Snowden have a total of three The Roses nominees for the weekend with Falkenberg ed in the entries by stablemates Self Esteem and Tap This.
Stratum filly Self Esteem ran fourth to Single Gaze in Rosehill’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in March before a ninth in the ATC Oaks.
She improved off that after a four week break between runs when second in the GC Bracelet, an impressive effort from the outside barrier 14 of 14 draw.
Tap This meanwhile will be on a quick seven day turnaround if she is accepted for The Roses after she took on the boys and ran fifth to now Queensland Derby favourite Mackintosh in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) on BTC Cup Day.
Other notable The Roses nominees include Matthew Dunn’s Gold Coast Bracelet third placegetter Kebede, last month’s Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) winner at the Sunshine Coast Look To The Stars, the flying Lyricist shooting for four wins on the trot and the progressive Chris Waller-trained daughter of High Chaparral Chandana.
See below for the full The Roses 2016 nominations, the final field and barrier draw set for release on Wednesday followed by markets at our No. 1 recommended bookie Ladbrokes.com.au!
2016 The Roses Nominations
Doomben Racecourse – 21/05/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 180×667320 | ALASKAN ROSE (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 2 | 11313×8502 | AMBIENCE | F | 3 | John O’Shea |
| 3 | 112×84 | BACKSTREET LOVER | F | 3 | Jason Warren |
| 4 | x033411654 | CHABAUD (NZ) | F | 3 | Robert Smerdon |
| 5 | 31331×562 | CHANDANA | F | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 6 | 62314×0005 | DAWNIE PERFECT | F | 3 | Clarry Conners |
| 7 | 61055×66 | DULVERTON | F | 3 | Robert Smerdon |
| 8 | 22×12144 | FALKENBERG | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 9 | 6509702 | FIREBIRD FLYER (NZ) | F | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 10 | 21×111 | IMPOSING LASS (NZ) | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker |
| 11 | 4x82x11143 | KEBEDE | F | 3 | Matthew Dunn |
| 12 | 9×97524739 | LADY ATHENA | F | 3 | Kathy Stabe |
| 13 | 013x90x081 | LOOK TO THE STARS | F | 3 | David Vandyke |
| 14 | 2111 | LYRICIST | F | 3 | Toby Edmonds |
| 15 | 475×761423 | MORE THAN A ROSE | F | 3 | John P Thompson |
| 16 | 13×461491 | MYSTIC OPAL | F | 3 | Chris Anderson |
| 17 | 6x0621x201 | ION IN FLIGHT | F | 3 | Gary Hineman |
| 18 | 77481×9160 | PRETTY LUCKY | F | 3 | Paul Facoory |
| 19 | 1416×4 | PROVOCATIVE (NZ) | F | 3 | Tony Pike |
| 20 | 346×511326 | QUEEN OF WANDS | F | 3 | Clarry Conners |
| 21 | 114L3 | ROMANTIC MAID | F | 3 | Roger James |
| 22 | x60x622x31 | SAHARA SIREN | F | 3 | Alan L Jones |
| 23 | 4x25210x40 | SEBRING SALLY | F | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 24 | 31×4512492 | SELF ESTEEM | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 25 | 25x58x1895 | TAP THIS | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 26 | 8x4x18x323 | THEMIS | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse |
| 27 | 212 | VIA NAPOLI | F | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 28 | 10×09 | ZAFIKI (NZ) | F | 3 | Robert Smerdon |
| 29 | 44×46337 | ZASORCERESS (NZ) | F | 3 | Jason Warren |
