Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker isn’t worried Sebrina will have history against her when the filly tackles the Group One Queensland Oaks at Doomben on Saturday.
Baker scratched Sebrina from the traditional Oaks lead-up The Roses at Doomben due to a wide barrier and instead ran her at Randwick.
Sebrina finished fourth in Sydney after being badly held up for a run in the straight and she shortened to be one of the Oaks favourites.
Baker said Sebrina had come through Saturday’s run well and the filly would arrive in Brisbane on Friday morning.
“There isn’t much we can do about what happened at Randwick,” Baker said.
“We have a Hall of Fame jockey in Glen Boss on board this time so we are very happy going into the race.”
The Roses was first run in 1996 and only two horses, Ethereal and Scarlett Lady, have completed the double.
But most Queensland Oaks winners have had their final lead-up run in the race.
Baker said that obvious path to the Oaks might not be so important on Saturday.
“The Oaks is a totally different race this year. In previous years it meant stepping up from 2020 metres at Doomben to 2400 metres at Eagle Farm,” he said.
“This time the Oaks is 2200 metres around Doomben and I am told it is a very big difference.”
Baker said stablemate Candelara provided a solid yardstick to assess Sebrina’s Oaks chances.
“Candelara won the Adrian Knox (Stakes) during the autumn and I would put Sebrina on par with her,” he said.
At her next start, Candelara ran third in the ATC Australian Oaks in which the Oaks favourite Winx ran second.
Four emergencies are drawn inside Sebrina which means she could start as close in as from barrier four and Baker expects she will be able to push forward from there.
Sebrina will be Baker’s first runner in a Queensland Oaks but he had Celtic Prince who ran seventh in the 2013 Queensland Derby after having no luck.
However, he has tasted success in Queensland, winning the 2014 Magic Millions 2YO Classic with Unencumbered.
Winx is a clear-cut Oaks favourite after a last-to-first win in the Sunshine Coast Guineas, her first run since finishing second in the ATC Australian Oaks.
Sebrina is a $7 chance with The Roses winner Bohemian Lily easing to $5 after drawing off the track.
