Chris Waller’s perennial runner-up Toffee Tongue has come up trumps with barrier three in Saturday’s capacity Australasian Oaks 2020 field at Morphettville Racecourse.
Trainer Chris Waller chases a second Australasian Oaks win after his 2017 success with Egg Tart (pictured).
Punters are treated to a double shot of elite level racing in South Australia this weekend for Robert Sangster Stakes Day with both the Group 1 events on the card offering a reduced $400,000 in prize money due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A line-up of the season’s top three-year-old staying fillies face off in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (ed as the Australasian Oaks) run over 2000m.
Premier Sydney-based trainer Waller won the race back in 2017 with Egg Tart and returns this weekend with a trio of hopefuls led by his last start Group 1 ATC Oaks runner-up Toffee Tongue.
Damien Thornton rides the well-bred daughter of Tavistock who comes off four straight second place efforts back home, the latest behind Colette in the ATC Oaks over the mile and a half.
Nudge (11) and Betcha Flying (13) are the other Waller-trained runners in this year’s Schweppes Oaks field.
Nudge looks a genuine winning hope having run third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill two back before rising in distance for the ATC Oaks fourth over the mile and half.
Uncle Mo filly Betcha Flying also won’t be without her irers after lead-up win at Flemington over 1700m on ANZAC Day, the same race that produced Waller’s previous Schweppes Oaks winner Egg Tart.
“She travelled down from Sydney in great order,” Waller stable rep Jo Taylor told AAP this week.
“Chris has allowed her to mature at her own rate. She tells us when she’s ready to keep stepping up.
“She’ll freshen up this week and head to Adelaide either on Wednesday or Thursday evening and try and back up and do the same in the Oaks.”
The other standout last start winner in the race is the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Silent Sovereign, the striking daughter of Dalakhani having won in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at the track second-up last time out.
She is now out to do the double for the second time in three years following on from Sopressa (2018) who was the latest Australasian Oaks winner to come off a victory in the traditional home town lead-up.
Other notable hopes including the Auraria Stakes runner-up Selica (15) for Phillip Stokes and Danny O’Brien’s last star VOBIS Sires Guineas third placegetter Affair To .
Click here for the latest Australasian Oaks 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Australasian Oaks Field & Barriers
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x1421x438P | FASCINO (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | TBA | 16 | 56kg | 85 |
| 2 | 61231×5034 | NUDGE | Chris Waller | Todd Pannell | 11 | 56kg | 85 |
| 3 | 14x4123x65 | MOONLIGHT MAID | Mitchell Freedman | Zac Spain | 12 | 56kg | 83 |
| 4 | 11181×3167 | ASIAGO | James Cummings | TBA | 17 | 56kg | 82 |
| 5 | 11226×80 | VEGAS JEWEL (NZ) | Mark Kavanagh | Jason Holder | 4 | 56kg | 81 |
| 6 | x8461x0008 | LA FALAISE | Henry Dwyer | Ms Georgina Cartwright (a) | 8 | 56kg | 78 |
| 7 | 2x522x8541 | BETCHA FLYING | Chris Waller | Dom Tourneur | 13 | 56kg | 78 |
| 8 | 3x1111x224 | WINGS OF PASTRAMI | Jeff Searle | Jake Toeroek | 2 | 56kg | 76 |
| 9 | 3x64x62222 | TOFFEE TONGUE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Damien Thornton | 3 | 56kg | 76 |
| 10 | 142469×41 | SILENT SOVEREIGN | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Barend Vorster | 6 | 56kg | 76 |
| 11 | 15×19492 | SELICA (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Ms Kayla Crowther (a) | 15 | 56kg | 73 |
| 12 | 1x10554x18 | BEAUTY BOLT | Grahame Begg | Dean Holland | 1 | 56kg | 72 |
| 13 | 1121 | SIERRA SUE (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Ethan Brown | 20 | 56kg | 72 |
| 14 | 6x1736x313 | AFFAIR TO REABOIS Bonus Scheme | Dan O’Sullivan | John Allen | 5 | 56kg | 70 |
| 15 | 11×62 | ZAYYDANI (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Paul Gatt | 7 | 56kg | 69 |
| 16 | 4x4130x433 | WALKING FLYING (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Ryan Hurdle | 14 | 56kg | 65 |
| 17e | 2x2123x21 | NOVEMBER DREAMING | Danny O’Brien | TBA | 10 | 56kg | 68 |
| 18e | 8437×93734 | DON’TTELLTHEBOSS | Robbie Griffiths | TBA | 19 | 56kg | 67 |
| 19e | 21×136 | REALM OF FLOWERS | Anthony Freedman | TBA | 9 | 56kg | 66 |
| 20e | 4045×31651 | MISS HARRIETTE | Shane Nichols | TBA | 18 | 56kg | 62 |
