TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR QUEEN OEDIPUS

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Queen Oedipus confirmed she is making steady progress by winning for the second time in a row, in spite of being held wide for much of the running in the second race at Caulfield on Saturday.

As the early leaders Italian Machine and Wallinger matched motors from the break, Dwayne Dunn was content to keep Queen Oedipus wide in midfield in the early part, before improving position in the sweep to the turn to be in a close-up third place, in clear running, as the field turned into the straight.

Italian Machine got the better of Wallinger, who weakened badly over the last 100m, but just as he did that, Queen Oedipus ranged up to challenge for the lead. The David Hayes trained runner got his head in front and just did enough to hold off any fight-back from the long-time leader, as well keep back the late charge of a fast finishing trio of runners who were only separated by photo-finish for the minor placing.

Queen Oedipus has now won two of her five starts. The wins have come in succession, first in mid-week company and then when stepping up to the Saturday level. This was her fifth run of her first preparation.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer David Hayes: “If you watch the reply, she didn’t get many favours. She was caught sort of three wide ... four wide. It was a good fighting win. It’s a big thrill to have D.Dunn on again. He’s hard to get now.

There is a Listed race in Adelaide in a couple of weeks called the Oakland Plate. It puts such value on these fillies ... and I would say we would then give her a spell and bring her in for the late spring. I don’t think she is a Thousand Guineas filly or anything like that, but she might be very well placed over the Flemington Carnival with fresh legs. It’s hard to win these two-year-old races this time of year, so she has done a good job.”

Jockey Dwayne Dunn: “When I rode her before (in her second start, three runs back) I sort of wanted her to have some more match practise. That is what she was lacking. She’s done that and been able to win at Sandown. She did a good job today to punch the breeze all of the way and still keep strong.

She was very tradesman-like. I would have liked to have a bit of cover. I just couldn’t find any. Just worked up into the race nicely. The horse on my inside was racing very greenly. He bumped me a few times and that took a little bit of the sting out of me on the bend, but she gave me a good kick at the top of the straight.

“I didn’t know at the line when we hit it. I thought Bossy had kicked back inside and it was very, very close. It’s a horse on the way up.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Queen Oedipus): 6.00 out to 8.00.
Favourite (Ocean Dream): 4.20 out to 5.00 in to 4.20.

The favourite Ocean Dream was on debut here. Nicholas Hall dropped the Redoute’s Choice filly out from the draw and she raced at the rear of the field in the early part. The filly still had to come out four wide on the turn in order to stay in touch and then she took a while to build momentum in the straight. Once she got the message and got into full stride, she did make up ground as the widest runner on the track until her run peaked close to the line. With the experience of this run behind her, she could well post a different story next time out.