Talented young trainer Dominic Sutton has come a long way in a short time, and he will be chasing another first in the Australian Oaks at Randwick when he bids for his maiden Sydney win on one of racing’s biggest days.
Since saddling up his first runner in his own right in March 2024, Sutton has already tasted Group 1 success with Feroce in last year’s Australian Guineas, while After Summer finished third in the VRC Oaks during the spring.
That filly came agonisingly close to giving Sutton his first Sydney win in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) two weeks ago, and along with stablemate Classic Gem, she gets another shot at the stumps in the Australian Oaks (2400m) on Saturday.
Even if Sutton doesn’t come away with the major prize, having two runners in a Group 1 race is a tidy effort given his is a boutique stable with between 30-35 horses in work.
“It’s our second full year of training so it’s a big achievement, but we’re fortunate we’ve got the right calibre of horse to do it with,” Sutton said.
“When we started training, this is where we wanted to be, competing on the big stages at the big carnivals in the big races.
“There has been a lot of hard work in the background so hopefully it can pay off.”
After Summer has remained in Sydney since her narrow second to Kiwi Belle Cheval in the Vinery, while Classic Gem backs-up from a closing fifth behind Oaks second favourite Profoundly in the Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) last weekend.
The former was headed before fighting back stoutly to just miss last start, and Sutton expected After Summer to relish the distance rise on Saturday.
“She doesn’t possess a huge change-up of speed or gear. It was more her stamina kicking in towards the end,” he said.
“They probably had a quicker turn of foot than what she did when the race was unfolding, but obviously up to the 2400 metres is really going to suit.”
Classic Gem also contested the VRC Oaks in the spring, finishing fifth, and provided she handles the seven-day back-up, Sutton can make a case for her featuring in the finish.
“She’s probably going to be a bit of a forgotten horse on Saturday,” Sutton said.
“Her run last week was very good considering she was wide the trip with no cover, and she got a little bit lost the Sydney way the first time when the race was unfolding around the bend.
“Once she picked herself up, she was very strong to the line. She’s another filly that will relish the trip.”
There is little separating the two in the market with After Summer at $9.50 and Classic Gem $14 and Sutton agrees they are closely matched.
“We work them together quite a lot at home. Classic Gem is probably slightly sharper in her work, but After Summer is an out-and-out stayer and she’s going to be very strong at the end of 2400,” he said.
“You’d probably be leaning towards After Summer. She’s got a better barrier and given what she did last start, but there’s not a huge amount between the two of them.”
After Summer has gate three and will be ridden by Billy Egan, while Damian Lane partners Classic Gem from barrier nine.
