The Queensland Oaks 2016 this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is being considered for the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Falkenberg following her smart Warwick Farm win on Easter Monday.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy rates Falkenberg a genuine hope for the upcoming 2016 Queensland Oaks this winter. Photo: Daniel Costello.
A lightly-raced daughter of More Than Ready, Falkenberg posted her second win at start number five when taking out the $50,000 Schweppes Handicap (1600m) over the mile at Warwick Farm as the odds-on favourite on Monday.
Kerrin McEvoy continued his gun association with the progressive youngster riding her for the fourth time on the trot for the runaway four and a half-length victory, which proved her potential to stay further.
Chasing eventual runner-up Dubaiinstyle for the early stages in the Benchmark 67, Falkenberg reeled in the frontrunner without a worry before storming home for the emphatic victory.
“How lucky am I to get a filly like this?” co-trainer Peter Snowden said post win.
Plans are now to head towards a run over the mile and a half in the $500,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday June 4.
“I think she’ll stay all day,” Snowden said.
“There’s plenty of upside to her. She’s still very new and raw but definitely got talent.â
Snowden won the 2009 Queensland Oaks with Purple who came off a third in the traditional lead-up, the Group 3 Doomben Roses, and the race was won last winter by Chris Wallerâs superstar Winx who on Saturday shoots for her sixth elite level success in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
McEvoy, who rode Purple to her Oaks success for Snowden, agreed that Falkenberg was a genuine contender to only improve the further she runs over based on her Monday performance.
“At the 700 metres, I just had her up and rolling and she put the race to sleep once we turned for home,” he said of the win.
“She’ll stay further than that and she’s got better races to come.”
Falkenberg is still officially nominated for Saturday weekâs $1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Sydneyâs Royal Randwick Racecourse on Day 2 of âThe Championshipsâ.
She is currently paying $26 in futures Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, markets led by the Ciaron Maher-trained Jameka ($4.20) who takes on the boys in this weekendâs $2 million Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).
Snowden confirmed Falkenberg would be a non-acceptor for the 2016 ATC Oaks, the event coming too soon for the up-and-comer who would take a little more time to mature to that level, but hadnât ruled out a âThe Championshipsâ appearance completely for her.
âWe might just give her a ten-day break,” he said.
“I’ve got time to give her a freshen-up.
“With these three runs under her belt now I’m very mindful of just keeping good condition on her now and not losing that residual fitness in her legs.”
Team Snowdenâs Group 1 winners in Sydney this Saturday meanwhile are two-year-olds Attention (1) and Detective (6) in the $1 million Group 1 Inglis Siresâ (1400m) and Dothraki (5) in the $2.5 million Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
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