The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Cassadee is set for the ATC Oaks 2017 at Royal Randwick in April after posting her second win on the trot at Moonee Valley on Monday.
Gai Waterhouse prepares Cassadee for a 2017 Vinery Stud Stakes – ATC Oaks bid this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The nicely-bred daughter of Redouteâs Choice made it three wins from six career starts, ridden to a nearly three length victory in a Benchmark 70 for fillies and mares over 2040m by apprentice Beau Mertens.
Mertens also rode the three-year-old filly for her five length romp home the start before over the mile at Sandown-Lakeside.
Cassadee will be stepped right up in grade at the end of the month with a Rosehill Gardens run in the $500,000 Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
That will be her first Sydney run since a fifth to Invincible Gem over 1400m at Warwick Farm on January 18.
The form out of that race has been franked by the winner Invincible Gem who won two more races including the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) before a brave second to Inference in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 4.
Co-trainer Waterhouse has prepared two previous Vinery Stud Stakes winners with Tempest Morn (2001) and Shower Of Roses (2003).
The Vinery Stud Stakes is the traditional Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival lead-up to the $1 million Group 1 James Boagâs Premium Australian Oaks (2400m).
This yearâs ATC Australian Oaks is run at Randwick on April 8 on Day 2 of âThe Championshipsâ and Waterhouseâs training partner Bott confirmed that mile and a half feature was also on the agenda for Cassadee.
âWeâve always thought a lot of this filly and itâs great to see her in such great form as she goes up in trip,â he told Racing Victoria on Monday.
âThe Oaks is a step-up again but sheâs gone from 1600 metres to this trip [2040m] without a worry and sheâll go to Sydney now in really good form.â
Three Waterhouse-trained filly have taken out the race over the years most recently Once Were Wild (2010) who improved off a Vinery Stud Stakes fifth.
Futures Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are currently led by the Kiwi La Bella Diosa ($6).
Winner of the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November, the daughter of So You Think made an immediate impact down under scoring a Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) win in the wet on February 25.
She failed to produce last weekend however when last home in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) behind upset winner Heavens Above, but is tipped to improve notably getting out over more metres.
Cassadee is also in the first-half of all-in Australian Oaks betting paying $15 for the win.
To back Cassadee next start at the right price and to access all the best early Group 1 autumn racing odds and offers head to Ladbrokes.com.au now â home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).