This year's field for the Queensland Oaks looks to me, on paper, to be a fairly strong edition of the race, with a couple of very classy fillies engaged. Although, I'm sure 'on paper', George W. Bush appeared a well-rounded candidate for the U.S. Presidency, what with his proud record of military service in the Texas Air National Guard, Yale and Harvard credentials, lineage of leadership and penchant for sports. When the sun eventually set on Bush's two terms in the Whitehouse however, and he wa
This year's field for the Queensland Oaks looks to me, on paper, to be a fairly strong edition of the race, with a couple of very classy fillies engaged. Although, I'm sure 'on paper', George W. Bush appeared a well-rounded candidate for the U.S. Presidency, what with his proud record of military service in the Texas Air National Guard, Yale and Harvard credentials, lineage of leadership and penchant for sports. When the sun eventually set on Bush's two terms in the Whitehouse however, and he was asked to describe his crowning achievement in office, Dubya offered: "I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound largemouth bass in my lake."
And more often than not, the Queensland Oaks has unfortunately represented to its winners Dubya's ultimately unsurpassable 'largemouth bass' moment, with this giddy Group 1 winter triumph usually remaining the last at the elite level on their racing CV's. Mon Mekki (2002), Zagalia (2003), Vouvray (2004), Vitesse Dane (2005) and Allow (2006) managed between them just two more career wins after their respective Oaks victories - a Port Macquarie Cup and a Group 3 Winter Stakes. Similarly, Purple (2009) has been good without looking a genuine Group 1 performer, and Kiwi Miss Keepsake (2010) appears to have lost form. There have, of course, been exceptions to the trend, such as the Caulfield Cup winner Arctic Scent, and 'Cups Doubles' Queen Ethereal. But of the nine winners since Sheila Laxon's champion filly stormed home to deny Tempest Morn in 2001, only Eskimo Queen (Coolmore Classic) and Riva San (Queensland Derby) have gone on to record another Group 1 win. Obviously the call of the breeding barn is a big factor here, as owners are rightly reticent to risk long racing careers for Group 1 winning mares, and often staying three-year-olds simply peak ahead of their contemporaries and struggle a touch when the big spring races come around.
The Queensland Oaks remains one of my favourite races on the calendar, however (though I can't necessarily pinpoint why!), and hopefully this year's fillies can reappear in a few months time as major spring challengers. For, as George W. once said of American families, the Oaks will always be, for me, one of those great races where "wings take dream".
