With form around the likes of Pembrey and Chilly Girl, it is unsurprising that David Vandyke is upbeat about the prospects of Oregon Coast at Ipswich on Wednesday.
The aforementioned occupy the top two positions in the market for the Group 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and while Oregon Coast will not be facing the same company in the Racing and Sports Fillies and Mares Plate (1200m), taking the tip on the formlines, just like Vandyke did on the purchase, could be a fruitful midweek plan.
Under previous ownership and when trained by Brett and Georgie Cavanough, Oregon Coast’s debut run was in the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill finishing sixth behind unbeaten Chilly Girl on January 31.
Second-up, the filly finished second – albeit beaten by 5½-lengths – to Pembrey at Eagle Farm a fortnight later.
Since then, Vandyke purchased the now three-year-old online for $100,000.
“One of my clients races her mother (She’s On Time) and she alerted me that this filly was up for sale,” Vandyke recalled.
“I watched her two runs and it was a slashing run against Pembrey who has certainly come out and proved the form.
“There was a bloodstock agent selling it who I know so I rang him and he said ‘she’s fine’ so we bid on her and we were very happy to get her.”
“She’s been in work for five months so I’ve taken her along slowly and didn’t want to run her in races I didn’t think she could win. She drew badly last week so I scratched her but she has a good gate tomorrow (barrier three).”
Recently crowned Queensland Jockey Of The Year, Ben Thompson, takes the ride on Oregon Coast.
“With her form, she should be very hard to beat in a maiden at Ipswich,” Vandyke concluded.
