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Can the kiwi fillies strike as they have done in the ATC Australian Oaks run at Randwick on Saturday.
Verry Elleegant herself was originally from over there. She has done a lot more now but the 2021 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday could see a nice one win.
2021 ATC Australian Oaks: Nominations
2021 ATC AUSTRALIAN OAKS - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The ATC Australian Oaks is a Group 1 race for three year old fillies conducted by the Australian Turf Club at Randwick. It would be regarded as the strongest of the Oaks run in Australia.
The ATC Australian Oaks was first run in 1885 and was won by Uralla.
The ATC Australian Oaks is run over 2400m under Set Weights conditions. It has been raced over varying distances through the years. It was known as the Adrian Knox Stakes/Adrian Knox Oaks Stakes when not run at the mile and a half.
Like many feature races this was one was battled hard between Bart Cummings with seven wins and TJ Smith with six.
The leading jockey is Roy Higgins (6) from Ted Bartle (5) and Jack Thompson (5).
The last time Winx was ever beaten was in the ATC Australian Oaks behind Gust Of Wind in 2015.
Rising Romance (1st) and Lucia Valentina (3rd) from the 2014 running of the Oaks would go on to place in the Caulfield Cup later that year with only the Japanese stayer Admire Rakti superior.
Research won the Australian Oaks four days after winning the Australian Derby.
Last filly to run against the older horses before winning the Oaks was Mahaya in 1993. She was 4th in The BMW behind Kaaptive Edition, Rough Habit and Veandercross.
Bounding Away is the only Slipper winner to win the Oaks.
Since 2009, kiwis fillies have dominated the race.
Hugh Bowman has saluted in 5 of the last 12 runnings, including taking three in a row.
The main lead up runs last 20 years are for those coming through the Vinery Stud (Storm Queen) Stakes (9) and the Adrian Knox Stakes (6).
VRC Oaks-ATC Oaks double since 1956 - Evening Peal (1955-56), Chicola (1958-59), Indian Summer (1961-62), Arctic Star (1962-63), Light Fingers (1964-65), Farmer's Daughter (1966-67), Surround (1976-77), November Rain (1980-81), Research (1988-89), Grand Archway (1998-99), Serenade Rose (2005-06).
Vinery Stud (Storm Queen)-ATC Oaks double - Sheraco (1982), Research (1989), Alcove (1994), Danendri (1997), Serenade Rose (2006), Heavenly Glow (2008), Verry Elleegant (2019).
Some winners of the Adrian Knox/Oaks double have been Persist (1949), Edelweiss (1954), Sabah (1955), Jane Hero (1964), Light Fingers (1965), Lowland (1968), Leilani (1974), Starzaan (1983), Our Sophia (1985), Just Now (1986), Circles Of Gold (1995), Republic Lass (2002), Wild Iris (2004), Rena's Lady (2007), Royal Descent (2013) and Colette (2020).
Verry Elleegant herself came back 12 months later to win the Tancred Stakes over the same journey.
Amazingly the 2020 edition saw the exact same trifecta from the Adrian Knox back it up one week later. Colette would prove that form by winning the Golden Eagle in the Spring.
The 2021 ATC Australian Oaks was worth $1,000,000.
Notable winners of the Oaks include Flight (1944), Evening Peal (1956), Wenona Girl (1961), Light Fingers (1965), Lowland (1968), Analie (1973), Leilani (1974), How Now (1976), Surround (1977), November Rain (1981), Bounding Away (1987), Research (1989), Triscay (1991), Circles Of Gold (1995), Republic Lass (2002), Serenade Rose (2006), Streama (2012), Royal Descent (2013), Bonneval (2017), Unforgotten (2018), Verry Elleegant (2019) and Colette (2020).
The 2020 ATC Australian Oaks was won by Colette from Toffee Tongue and Quintessa.
