If breeding means anything Queensland’s best hope to win the Group One Queensland Oaks, Winning Ways, should have no trouble with a genuine staying distance.
Winning Ways has her final lead-up to the Oaks when she runs in the Group Two The Roses at Doomben on Saturday.
For the third time in the past five runnings the Queensland Oaks will be at Doomben over 2200m rather than 2400m at Eagle Farm.
It is because of the decision not to hold three consecutive meetings at the newly laid Eagle Farm track.
But whether it is 2400m or 2200m should be no worries for Winning Ways who is by former champion European Declaration Of War out of Skip Along who is by noted sire of stayers Galileo.
Skip Along won at 12 furlongs (2400m) in England while her half brother Unfurled was a stakes winner at 11 furlongs (2200m).
Declaration of War won twice in Group One company with his oldest Australian offspring three-year-olds.
Winning Ways made it three wins on end when she won the Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) two weeks ago on a heavy track.
Comeback trainer Gary Newman knows what it takes to produce a Group One winner having won an Australian Derby with Starcraft.
“Winning Ways beat older horses at her previous start and she has shown she can handle wet and dry,” Newman said.
“And I have no worries about the distance for the Oaks trip.”
Winning Ways is raced by Starcraft’s owner Paul Makin who was instrumental in luring Newham back to training after he retired a decade ago.
