Clarry Conners’ three VRC Oaks winners have been vastly more experienced than Dawnie Perfect but that hasn’t lessened the trainer’s enthusiasm for the filly.
Dawnie Perfect went into Saturday’s Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield a maiden and came out of it a Group Three winner and the second favourite for the Oaks (2500m) on November 5.
Conners watched the race from Randwick where two-year-old Bliss Point was unplaced in the Victory Vein Plate.
“I always knew she would be better once she got up to 2000 metres and I think she will be even better on the big track at Flemington,” Conners said.
“The plan is to go to the Wakeful Stakes and then the Oaks five days later.
“That has worked in the past and seems to the best formula.”
Conners trains Dawnie Perfect for John Singleton, the owner of 2013 VRC Oaks winner Dear Demi.
Singleton bred his latest Oaks contender from his mare, 2003 Queensland Oaks winner Zagalia who was also trained by Conners.
Dawnie Perfect is by Big Brown, the 2008 Kentucky Derby winner who stood four seasons at Vinery Stud.
Arborea, who won the Oaks in 1993, was already a Group One winner of the Thousand Guineas when she ran in the Wakeful while in 1988 Research had won the Flight Stakes before running in the Group Two lead-up.
Dear Demi had been placed in the Flight and the Thousand Guineas before her fourth in the Wakeful.
Conners’s trainer son Mark went to Melbourne to look after Dawnie Perfect and his own Oaks hope Princess Aria who got into the Ethereal as an emergency and finished a creditable fifth.
Princess Aria is still a maiden and would have to earn some more prize money to make the Oaks field.
Princess Aria is a $51 chance in the Oaks while Dawnie Perfect is in to $7 behind Sacred Eye who firmed to $3.50 with her win in Saturday’s Caulfield Classic.
