The $1million Group I VRC Oaks (2500m) is the highlight at Flemington on Thursday and this year’s race features an undefeated staying star coming off a last start win in the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes against the colts, so can Proxima Dea keep her record perfect?
This race has a very long and bushy tail and Zac Lloyd will need to be on guard to make sure Proxima Dea does not get caught in it as a large number of these horses will be going into reverse after turning for home if not before.
Click here for five generation pedigrees for all Oaks runners so you can do your own homework.
1. Proxima Dea (Tarzino (NZ) x Invisible Coin, by Redoute's Choice) David Payne / Zac Lloyd (19)
Perfect five from five leading into this and her last two wins in G3 Gloaming (1800m) and then G1 Spring Champion (2000m) were against colts that included Victoria Derby hero Stormy Marco, so this girl has a lap on her rivals in terms of disclosed form.
5 FROM 5 AND NOW A GROUP 1 STAR. PROXIMA DEA WINS THE SPRING CHAMPION STAKES ?? @ZacLloydX @DPayneRacing https://t.co/6QlrtJ01u1
— 7HorseRacing ?? (@7horseracing) October 24, 2026
The step up in trip and gate 19 may bring her back to the pack, but will those negatives be enough to get her beaten?
By Derby winning sire Tarzino, who has sired Derby and Oaks winners that include her full sister Gypsy Goddess, who won a G1 Queensland Oaks at 2200m. No negative on pedigree.
2. Icelady (Maurice (JPN) x Lady Patricia, by Snitzel) Ciaron Maher / Ethan Brown (4)
Won G3 Guineas Prelude (1400m) and second in G1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) before third in G2 Wakeful (2000m) giving weight to the fillies that beat her, so form is excellent.
By Maurice (Jpn), sire of Derby hero Hitotsu, although generally his progeny excel up to 2000m and not so much beyond. Dam by Snitzel also a question mark although she is a sibling to G1 Doomben Cup winner Kenedna and 2400m SW Matusalem. Her class will take her further than the pedigree.
3. Quick Finish (Grunt (NZ) x Gentle Strokes, by Golden Horn (GB)) T and C McEvoy / Jye McNeil (5)
Three wins from five starts and won G3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) before brave third in G1 Victoria Derby on Saturday.
??? Stormy Marco storms home in the G1 Victoria Derby, and it's another G1 to team @mcacajamez - @cwallerracing! @FlemingtonVRC https://t.co/NtC4Zjdhzd
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
Her sire Grunt already has a G1 VRC Oaks winner to his credit in Strictly Business and this girl is from an unraced mare by Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn from another unraced mare by Dubawi with the rest of this female family all American going back a very long way. She’s proven at the trip no guesswork here.
4. De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan x Regal Winks (NZ), by Rip Van Winkle (IRE)) Chris Waller / James McDonald (1)
Three wins from seven starts and has been racing the elite with a second in G1Flight Stakes (1600m), fourth in G1 Thousand Guineas and won the G2 Wakeful Stakes on Saturday.
De Armas runs straight past them in the Wakeful Stakes! @cwallerracing @blake_shinn @FlemingtonVRC @OTIRacing https://t.co/ohGpCeNNQe
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
By Ardrossan, who has yet to sire a G1 winner and was a sprinter, but worth consideration is him being a 3/4 brother to Incentivise, who won a Caulfield Cup and was second in the Melbourne Cup. Female family is packed with quality sprinter milers and while she is bred in NZ, you can’t really say she’s bred for this marathon trip, but champion trainer and jockey, plus gate one are going to be a massive plus.
5. Voynichese (Pinatubo (IRE) x Great Mystery, by Redoute's Choice) Nick Olive / Declan Bates (7)
Won a Listed race at Eagle Farm in June over 1500m and has not placed since with recent efforts a seventh in G3 Ethereal and seventh last Saturday in G2 Wakeful.
By Pinatubo (IRE), whose best European offspring have been stayers and include a G1 winner at 2400m and female family gives rise to real optimism. Dam won at 2000m and was G3 placed at 2500m, second dam won G3 Ethereal and third dam Zagalia won Queensland Oaks when it was 2400m. Bred to be here.
6. Salann (Shamus Award x A Pinch Of Salt, by Star Witness) Ben Brisbourne / Rachel King (12)
Six start maiden and was sixth in G1 Thousand Guineas before last start third in G2 Drummond Golf Vase (2000m) against the colts.
Cox Plate winning sire Shamus Award has a great record siring stayers and in particular Classic fillies. Comes from a quality female family tracing back to blue hen Princess Tracy (IRE) and there is a smattering of longer distance SWs in the family, but I don’t see her breaking her maiden on Thursday.
7. Churchill Rose (Churchill (IRE) x Racy Rosie, by Rebel Raider) Andrew Gluyas / Craig Williams (10)
Maiden win at Murray Bridge over 1600m from eight starts and then second in Listed SAJC Hill Smith stakes (1800m) before fourth in G2 Wakeful.
By quality shuttle sire Churchill (IRE), who had a Melbourne Cup runner in Trustyourinstinct (IRE), so he can get a stayer. Female family has produced SW sprinter milers and goes back to US blood, but the key here is dam sire Rebel Raider, a Victoria Derby winner and he and his family pass that stamina on. She has the pedigree for optimism.
8. Your Colour (Maurice (JPN) x April Rain, by Pierro) Chris Waller / Blake Shinn (14)
Maiden win at Newcastle over 1400m from seven starts then third in Listed Dulcify (1600m and second in G3 Ethereal before disappointing when 11th in the G2 Wakeful after drawing wide and failing to get into the race.
Second in the race for Maurice and has a lovely pedigree being from SP daughter of G2 winner Faith Hill, the grand-dam of $2million earning G3 winner So Si Bon. Dam sire Pierro is a plus, but she’s a big rangy filly and may have just hit the wall a bit in her current prep judging on last start, maybe better in autumn.
9. Joely (Toronado (IRE) x Lovani, by Lonhro) T and N Busuttin and Young / Kerrin McEvoy (18)
Won Echuca maiden over 1400m and was second in G2 Edward Manifold (1600m) before disappointing seventh in G2 Drummond Vase.
By Toronado (IRE), who can get a stayer, but generally they are a bit too brilliant and better suited up to a mile to 2000m. Dam won at 2000m and it’s a European female family, albeit one geared to speedier types.
10. Expensive Taste (North Pacific x Taste of Money, by Not A Single Doubt) T and C McEvoy / Luke Currie (11)
Nine start maiden that was third in G2 VRC Sires Produce at two (form out of that race awful) and has had her past three runs at 2000m or more with a last start fifth in Listed Geelong Classic (2200m).
By underperforming sire North Pacific, who has had one SW and Zuleika did win a very weak Listed race at 2100m. Nothing in female family suggests 2500m will be ideal.
11. Notified (Maurice (JPN) x Bonanova's Dream, by Redoute's Choice) Archie Alexander / Billy Egan (15)
Ballarat maiden win over 1500m at two from six starts and was eighth in Listed Super Impose (1800m) and eighth in G3 Ethereal, but only beaten two lengths.
Third in the race for Maurice and worst on form. Dam is by a champion sire from G1 winner Bonanova, a half-sister to G1 winners Telesto and Fraternity, none of the trio won beyond 2000m. It’s a classy pedigree, but race performance looks anything but classy.
12. Refuse To Curtsy (Royal Meeting (IRE) x Tivoli Lass, by Uncle Mo (USA)) Thomas Carberry / John Allen (13)
Maiden winner at Kilmore over 1450m from just five starts and then close third in G3 Ethereal.
By speed sire Royal Meeting (IRE), best known for siring G1 Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi. Half-sister to last year’s VRC Oaks winner Strictly Business and SP Kicking King, who was second in the Listed Tassie Derby. Has same trainer and jockey as the winner last year, but am not thinking history will repeat although a placing no surprise.
13. Nikitria (The Autumn Sun x Missybeel (NZ), by Savabeel) Clinton McDonald / Ben Melham (16)
Maiden winner at Seymour over 1300m from six starts and sixth on Saturday in G2 Wakeful when she wacked away and blinkers are added for her grand final.
By The Autumn Sun, who shot to fame off the back of a couple of Oaks winners and this filly fits the profile being from SW Missybeel, a winner to 1900m and closely related to G1 NZ Oaks winner Amarelinha. Bred to be here.
14. Waiheke Rose (NZ) (Noverre (NZ) x Maxmara (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ)) G and A Waterhouse and Bott / Jordan Childs (6)
Maiden winner at Kembla over 1500m and then last of nine here on Tuesday in 1800m Listed race won by Billycart, so facing a quantum leap in distance and class if she starts.
From the first crop of Noverre, G1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner by Savabeel. Half-sister to four winners and none have won beyond 1400m and the family is full of SW sprinter milers, albeit going back there is Kiwi staying blood with third dam by Noble Bijou. This race is a massive ask on every level for a filly that does have talent.
15. Tharwa (Tagaloa x Winning Ways, by Declaration Of War (USA)) Chris Waller / Damian Lane (17)
Five start maiden that was fourth in G3 Ethereal and then off a wide gate made no impression when ninth in G2 Wakeful.
By G1 Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa from G1 Queensland Oaks winner Winning Ways, who could certainly stick on and grand-dam by Galileo a positive, but thinking she will remain a maiden come Thursday night.
16. Shameful Impulse (Shamus Award x Impulsive Liaison, by Savabeel) Rob Blacker / William Pike (8)
Maiden winner at Wodonga over 1400m from five starts and last start handy fifth in G2 Wakeful.
Second in the race for Shamus Award. Full sister to G3 winner at 2000m in Impulsive Reaction and traces back to an elite Euro female family with her third dam a half-sister to French Oaks winner Rafha, the dam of champion sire Invincible Spirit. Pedigree gets a tick and she’s a roughie with a hope.
17E. Quynh (I Am Immortal x Catch a Hero, by Von Costa De Hero) E and D Browne / (3)
18E. Little Ally Bama (Alabama Express x Little Hottie (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ)) Andrew Bobbin / Linda Meech (2)
19E. Courting (Kermadec (NZ) x Loveseat (NZ), by Savabeel) T and C McEvoy / (20)
20E. Chocolate Freckles (Impending x Star Of Persia, by Dalakhani (IRE)) P and H Carey and Walker / Celine Gaudray (9)
Selections
1/Icelady
2/Proxima Dea
3/De Armas
4/Quick Finish
Roughie
Shameful Impulse/ Nikitria
