Brazilian Pulse’s trainer Mike Moroney says Shamrocker’s Derby success makes for an interesting race in Saturday’s Group One AJC Australian Oaks at Randwick.
VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse was displaced as favourite for Saturday’s Oaks (2400m) by Shamrocker after the Danny O’Brien-trained filly raced to victory in last weekend’s AJC Australian Derby.
Brazilian Pulse ($3.80 with TAB Sportsbet) and Shamrocker ($3) are yet to cross paths this campaign and Brazilian Pulse had the wood on her in Melbourne during the spring as the pair finished first and second in the VRC Oaks (2500m).
Moroney has watched Shamrocker go to another level this preparation, defeating the boys in the Australian Guineas and then coming to Sydney to be placed in the Rosehill Guineas and then win the Derby.
“I suppose it franks our filly’s form,” Moroney said of Shamrocker’s Derby win.
“I know their camp are pretty confident their filly has improved from the spring, I think our filly has improved a bit too and it’s going to make for an interesting race on Saturday.
“They are not the only two in it either, the filly (Mirjulisa Lass) that won the Vinery Stud Stakes looks a good staying filly too, so it could be a strong version of the Oaks this year.”
Brazilian Pulse is aiming to become the 16th filly to claim the VRC Oaks-AJC Oaks double.
Staying the dominant filly for the spring and autumn isn’t always an easy task.
“I think what happens is the other fillies get a chance to mature up and pass some of those fillies in the autumn, and at their age six months makes a big difference,” Moroney said.
“You are always open for those sort of horses to join in which wouldn’t have been there in the spring and it looks like the one that has joined in is the filly that won the Vinery.
“Then you’ve got the two that ran first and second in the VRC Oaks and their form has stood up which is good, because the odd time it doesn’t.”
Brazilian Pulse won the Keith Nolan Classic (1800m) second-up and then ran third in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) after covering ground throughout.
She continued her Oaks preparations with a pleasing gallop at Randwick on Tuesday in company with stablemate Muirfield.
“Craig Williams came and worked her and he was happy with her,” Moroney said.
“He thought that her fitness levels were good, her action was great, he said she wanted to switch on and off in her work a bit but that’s her, and the last part of her work was very good.”
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