It's been 28 years since John Wallace won the Queensland Oaks, but he's hopeful of ending the drought with former New Zealand filly Utopia at Eagle Farm.Wallace's Queensland Oaks winner was Mother of Pearl in 1982 and until this year the filly was his last winner at the elite level.However, Wallace's absence from the Group One podium changed when Shoot Out claimed Group One victories in the Randwick Guineas and AJC Australian Derby at Randwick during the Sydney autumn carnival.Wallace told every

It's been 28 years since John Wallace won the Queensland Oaks, but he's hopeful of ending the drought with former New Zealand filly Utopia at Eagle Farm.

Wallace's Queensland Oaks winner was Mother of Pearl in 1982 and until this year the filly was his last winner at the elite level.

However, Wallace's absence from the Group One podium changed when Shoot Out claimed Group One victories in the Randwick Guineas and AJC Australian Derby at Randwick during the Sydney autumn carnival.

Wallace told everyone who cared to listen that Shoot Out was the real deal and the best horse he had ever trained and he's now telling a similar story with Utopia's bid for glory in Saturday's Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m).

Wallace has enjoyed the ride of his life with Shoot Out, who is back in work preparing for a Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup campaign which kicks off with his final run as a three-year-old in next month's Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.

The wily trainer isn't comparing Utopia to Shoot Out but he does rate her a big hope in the Queensland Oaks despite coming off a provincial campaign.

"I give her a great chance of winning," Wallace said.

"She's a very promising filly and mark my words she'll run the distance right out.

"From barrier two, she'll get a good run and she'll race forward and won't get caught behind any of the tiring horses."

Like Shoot Out, Utopia is owned by Graham and Linda Huddy, who bought her for an undisclosed sum off Kiwi trainer John Sargent, who saddles up rival Oaks filly Spera.

The Huddys bought Utopia after she was runner-up to Sir Time Keeper in a Group Three race over 2000 metres at Awapuni on April 3.

The filly scored a commanding win at her debut for Wallace and her new owners in a weak class one race over 1600 metres at Caloundra on May 16.

She then ran into trouble when locked in on the fence when fifth in an 1800-metre class four at the Gold Coast on May 27.

The provincial lead-up was not the preferred campaign Wallace had in mind for the Queensland Oaks.

"She didn't have enough prizemoney when she first came over from New Zealand to get into some of the better races in town," Wallace said.

"I nominated her for the Doomben Roses but she didn't have a hope of getting into the race and was way down the order when the nominations came out.

"When she first came over she only had about $14,000 in prizemoney and that was in Australian money."

Jim Byrne, who leads the Brisbane jockeys' premiership, will ride Utopia replacing suspended jockey Stathi Katsidis who teamed with Wallace to win on Shoot Out during the autumn.

Wallace hasn't ruled out backing up Utopia in the Group Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week if she can break his Queensland Oaks drought.