29—10—16

Whether the Wakeful Stakes winner, Tiamo Grace, will run in the Oaks on Thursday, is in the melting pot as Darren Weir was locked in a traffic jam and missed the race.

His foreman, Jeremy Rogers, did the saddling up of the filly; however, he would not commit himself in which direction Weir would take with the filly.

The Oaks now looks the logical, she is improving with each outing but there can be no decision made until she is assessed by Weir as to how he believes she has pulled up.

There seems no doubt that she will get the 2500 metres of the Oaks, she was drawing away and won with something in hand.

She has had just the five starts, she was coming off an impressive second to Elenora in the Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield over 2000 metres, the distance she won over on Saturday.

On pedigree she looks capable of running the additional 300 metres as she is by Monaco Consul, he won a Victoria Derby and the Spring Champion Stakes, his oldest progeny are three year olds, he is out of a French bred mare by Anabaa.

Should Tiamo Grace win the Oakes it would be an interesting cross and a great boost for the sire

Tiamo Grace winning the Wakefield Stakes.

Oceanographer has won his way into the Melbourne Cup with a sound staying performance to win the Lexus Stakes over 2500 metres.

He didn’t have much form prior to going into the race, just a third in the Geelong Cup, plus his form in the UK was nothing flash.

However, punters latched onto him with the result he finished running up favourite and will now shorten in price for the Melbourne Cup.  

When Tom Melbourne led the field for much of the trip, and was still going great guns on the home turn, he looked an assured winner, that’s where Kerrin MeEvoy began to stoke up the gelding. winner.

He didn’t come with any great dash, he was just grinding away, he just kept coming, responding to McEvoy ‘s hard riding, he didn’t give up at any stage.

His trainer, Charlie Appleby, having won the Geelong Cup with Qewy and the Bendigo Cup winner with Francis of Assisi, he now has a real live chance in the Melbourne Cup when he saddles up Oceanographer.

Appleby said, “Kerrin McEvoy rode a great race, the gelding responded well for him, he is now right on track for the Melbourne Cup”

Flying Artie left little doubt he is the best sprinting three year old in Melbourne, and at least he will get a mile without a great deal of trouble.

Hugh Bowman didn’t hurry him along, the colt took it all in his stride, there was a lot of horse power ready to explode.

The colt looked the bet of the year, you can search his form, you won’t find many flaws, there he is a super colt with a huge future.

Mick Price had two outstanding three year olds, Flying Artie and Extreme Choice the later  may find it hard to get a mile, but cannot be over looked after winning the Moir Stakes against open age, he drew the wrong side of the track on Saturday.

I Am A Star, surely no one can argue about that, she has been one of the stars of the spring, particularly for her consistency.

She was right on the pace for much of the Myer Classic, when West Australian filly
Whispering Brook began to weaken; I am A Star was right there to take over, and that she did.

The Myer Classic is a Group One, she is now a very valuable mare with a high price tag on her head, she goes into an elite league.

She is trained by Shane Nichols, he has had his share of ups and downs, life has been no bed of roses, after being flooded out at Yarra Glen he has since located to Mornington.

The filly can now rest on her laurels for the present; there are some nice races about in the autumn that will suit her.

There were no hard stories after the Derby, the race was won by the better stayer, Prized Icon, he has had a typical Cummings preparation and has not been far away in any of his lead up races, he could be excused for his run in the weight for age Chelsford Stakes.

He was racing mid field just off the fence for most of the trip when his rider, Glyn Schofield, began to get busy when the field reached final turn.

At that stage Prized Icon was running fourth, Swear was leading with Sacred Elixir on the fence looking a possible winner, nothing else was running on.

When Sacred Elixir, the favourite, reached the lead, he appeared to be full of running, until Prized Icon emerged on the scene, he ran away to an easy win with the margin being two and a half lengths.

You could claim that most of the field failed to stay, but that has never been any different, So Si Bon just plugged away for his effort in finishing fourth, he picked up $67,500.

le Romain, trained at Broadmeadow Newcastle by Kris Lees, ending an exasperating runs of seconds, was on the ball this time, winning the $1million Cantala Stakes.

He was not that far away in the Epsom Handicap, whilst he won well on Saturday, no decision has been made whether he will have another run here or return straight home to Newcastle, there is really not much left here after that win and that was the race the stable set the gelding for, they got the money and that is all that counts.

Kris Lees trains from the stable of his late father Max where he prepared Luskin Star for his record breaking win of seven lengths in the Golden Slipper Stakes.