Stellar field assembled for Oaks

AN ASSORTMENT of Australia’s best fillies has been assembled for the prestigious New South Wales Oaks.

Scheduled to be run at Club Menangle on February 26, the $200,000 John Gibson Memorial Oaks is part of a sensational program which includes the Ladyship Mile as well as the Schweppes and Allied Express Sprints.

The latter pair of Group Ones are qualifiers for the $1million Garrards Miracle Mile, which will be conducted at the world class venue the following week.

Two Oaks heats were run at Club Menangle tonight, with local star Madrid a class above her rivals for trainer Jarrod Alchin in the second Blue Riband qualifier.

With Cameron Hart in the sulky, Madrid worked to the lead from barrier four before completing a three-metre win from Queensland raider, Goldies A Delight.

Another local, Lets Party Baby, was 12 metres third.

“She’d had two runs back from a spell and was pretty close to spot on for tonight,” Alchin said. “That run will top of her nicely before the Final next week.

“Now we just have to hope she can get a decent draw.”

Taking her record to an imposing seven wins and two placings from nine starts, Madrid rated 1:54.2 over 2400 metres, which was a second quicker than Amore Vita in the opening heat.

Prepared by Victorian-based horseman Nathan Purdon, Amore Vita also worked to the front on her way to a comfortable 10-metre win from Steno, with Just Hope two metres away third.

With the draw to be completed on Monday, the field for the New South Wales Oaks is Amore Vita, Chevrons Bypass, Goldies A Delight, Just Hope, Just Remember Me, Lets Party Baby, Madrid, Miss Chantilly, Mykorona, Steno, Soho Rhapsody (first emergency) and Racy Roxy (second emergency).