Trainer Glen Thompson declares flying filly in great shape for Queensland Oaks tilt
Trainer Glen Thompson says his recent Australasian Oaks victory with Benagil is 'a bit of blur' but he will now put the Queensland Oaks into sharp focus after confirming his high-flying filly will head to Brisbane for the $700,000 Group 1 race next month.
Thompson said last week he would make a decision on whether Benagil would compete in the Queensland winter carnival after the dust had settled on her epic victory in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide on April 26.
But the Flemington-based trainer declared the daughter of Manhattan Rain was in 'great shape' and would fly to Brisbane on May 20 and race in the Group 2 $300,000 The Roses (2000m) for 3YO fillies at Doomben four days later.
Then it will be onwards to the Queensland Oaks (2200m) on June 7 at Eagle Farm, with top jockey Mark Zahra to stay on after his Australasian Oaks success at Morphettville.
'She's come through the run great,' Thompson said about the emotional triumph, just two months after the passing of his former training partner Michael Moroney.
'We came back to Melbourne the day after and she's licked the bin out the whole time.
'She hasn't left an oat since the race so she's in great shape.
'It was a great weekend. It's all a bit of a blur to be honest. There was a lot going on at the time but I've watched the video a few times since then and it's a day I'll never forget.'
It's been a tumultuous season for Thompson, whose future was in limbo last month when it was announced that Ballymore Stables, where he worked as an assistant trainer, would be absorbed by Lindsay Park.
But fortunately Thompson has secured 20 boxes at Flemington as a trainer in his own right and he gets to keep Benagil in his stable.
"WHAT A QUALITY FILLY."
Benagil wins the Australasian Oaks. The first Group 1 for Glen Thompson as a solo trainer after the passing of Mike Moroney. 😇 pic.twitter.com/NFlLnZXdl9
â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) April 26, 2025
TAB has posted Benagil as the $4.50 equal favourite for the Queensland Oaks alongside the Nathan Doyle-trained Churchill's Choice, with Belle Detelle ($6) and $8 chances Femminile, Philia and Verona Rose on the next line.
'At this stage she'll definitely head up to Queensland, she's booked to fly up on the 20th (of May),' Thompson said about Benagil.
'At this stage we're very happy with her and she's definitely heading in that direction.'
Thompson said Benagil, who has earned more than $1.1m in prizemoney and delivered the trainer's first Group 1, was a dream filly to train.
'She's got a great attitude, she's very straightforward, quiet and loves her work,' he said.
'She's tough too. I wish I had five more like her. She's been to Sydney and back (to Melbourne), Adelaide and back, and it hasn't worried her one bit.
'It's unbelievable how she seems to have thrived off the travel so far.'
Meanwhile, trainer Bjorn Baker said his gun sprinter Overpass was on track to compete in the Group 1 $1.5m Doomben 10,000 (1200m), with Josh Parr to ride, on Saturday week after losing his The Quokka crown in Perth late last month.
'He's going well,' Baker said.
'He's going to have a good gallop tomorrow (Tuesday) and we'll look at getting him up there for that (the Doomben 10,000) for sure.
'He's had a good preparation. It didn't quite work out in Perth as we'd hoped but he was very good in the TJ Smith (runner-up to Briasa on April 5 at Randwick) so if he runs up to that he's a good chance.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Quadzilla, Four-Play: $200 betting strategy for Caulfield, June 7, 2025
Gilbert Gardiner gives his $200 betting strategy and quaddie analysis for Flemington on Saturday. News Corp racing reporter Gilbert Gardiner gives his $200 betting strategy and quaddie analysis for the Flemington meeting on Saturday. • â– â– â– â– â– FOUR-PLAY: $200 BETTING STRATEGY $25 each-way ESPANA (7) at $5/$1.75 Has a bit of ground to make up on favourite MISS OLE (2) but more than capable with race experience under the belt. Espana placed third on debut at Sandown – 1½ lengths behind smart winner Miss Ole – but saved her best for late in the 1000m experience. The Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans-trained Capitalist filly should be right in the finish again on Saturday. Following a luckless run at Warrnambool, Miss Ole lands an important metro victory ✌ðŸ�» @cmcdonaldracing — (@Racing) May 24, 2025 $25 each way AVEBURY (1) at $10/$3.10 Lumped a big weight last start at Sandown in a 1600m race and boxed on stoutly to run fourth – only beaten 1½ lengths. Only collared the last couple of bounds and beaten by horses down in the weights. Up against stronger opposition at Flemington back to pet 1400m distance and benefits from solid weight relief – 61.5kg down to 58.5kg – with 3kg-claiming apprentice Dakotah Keane aboard. $50 win JIMMY THE BEAR (3) at $2.60 A model of consistency and racing in great heart this time in especially. Charged late to run second fist-up behind the subsequent Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap favourite War Machine and then last start overhauled gallant Regal Zeus at Caulfield only seven days ago. Need only hold form to go very close to winning again, with the wide draw the only question mark on Saturday. Could need an ounce of luck early doors to settle into a position. Include POUNDNG (1) and REGAL VOW (7) in any exotic plays. Jimmy The Bear gives Tom Prebble a double at Caulfield, even better when it's a win for family! @mj_payne — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 31, 2025 RACE 8: 3YO QUALITY (2000m) $25 each way ADJUDICATE (8) at $19/$5 Finished strongly last start to run third at Flemington, albeit in a different postcode to winner Politely Dun, but that horse equally is not without a chance in the Group 1 Queensland Derby on Saturday at Eagle Farm. Adjudicate has trialled again since the Flemington run and drawn to get a much more economical steer closer to the speed on Saturday. Should be right around the money again in a wide open affair. â– â– â– â– â– QUADZILLA LEG 1 – RACE 6 DETROIT CITY (3) has a weight swing on last start conqueror TAKEN (7) and could be the difference late on Saturday at Flemington. Cannot fault Taken, won his past two starts and should again be hard to hold out despite meeting Detroit City 2.5kg worse off on Saturday. AHHA AHHA (9) could upstage the pair, hard fit and won two of her past four starts. YALDI (1) ought not be ignored either, the New Zealand Group 2 winner placed third at Flemington last start in his Australian debut last start. Not without a chance of spoiling the favourites' party. 1ST LEG: 1, 3, 7, 9 LEG 2 – RACE 7 NONCONFORMIST (1) has a clear class edge on all of these and despite it being a long time since his last win the $2.3m prizemoney earner must be respected. Nonconformist has lived exclusively in stakes' company the past five seasons so a Benchmark 100 well within his grasp second-up. LIBERAMI (13) has won his past three and faces sternest test to date. Honest galloper should be hard to hold out with a light weight. RUAKAKA RAIDER (15) not without a chance, only 50kg on his back ready for 2000m after two solid 1600m runs. 2ND LEG: 1, 13, 15 Regal Azmon gives Lachlan Neindorf back-to-back wins in the Cummings Stakes. @pstokesracing — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 10, 2025 LEG 3 – RACE 8 ADJUDICATE (8) closed off nicely last start at Flemington in difficult conditions behind Politely Dun, who is not without a chance in the Group 1 Queensland Derby on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding has trialled again since and scope to settle closer to the speed form a kinder draw on Saturday. SHOCKLETZ (7) and I ONLY WISH (5) boast consistent form lines through midweek and Saturday metro appearances. I Only Wish finished like a train last Saturday at Caulfield behind Madiyya. Respect the quick back-up. 3RD LEG: 5, 7, 8 LEG 4 – RACE 9 PIVOT CITY (12) arrived in time to win first-up at Flemington and then placed at both The Valley and Bendigo respectively. Too far back at Caulfield last start and never came into contention. Freshened up and ready to fire again. NAMESAKE (8) has won two of his past three, stuck the nose out to hold on last Saturday at Caulfield. Must respect the form and seven-day back-up. RHEINBERG (3) has won and placed twice apiece in five previous first-up appearances. Big weight but scope to figure in the finish. 4TH LEG: 3, 8, 12 Namesake splits the gap then holds off a fast finishing pack to pick up his second win from his last three starts in the last at Caulfield 🙌 @cmaherracing @jaylahkennedy — (@Racing) May 31, 2025 COST $100 FOR 92% SKINNY QUADDIE Start with YALDI (1), DETROIT CITY (3) and AHHA AHHA (9). In the second leg take NONCONFORMIST (1), LIBERAMI (13) and RUAKAKA RAIDER (15). Then in the third leg take I ONLY WISH (5), SHOCKLETZ (7) and ADJUDICATE (8). Come home with RHEINBERG (3) and PIVOT CITY (12). 1ST LEG: 1, 3, 9 2ND LEG: 1, 13, 15 3RD LEG: 5, 7, 8 4TH LEG: 3, 12
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Queensland Oaks contender Jenni's Meadow marks full-circle moment for owner Tony Ottobre
In his younger days, prominent owner Tony Ottobre was an apprentice jockey for the late Hall of Fame trainer Colin Hayes. Now, in a full-circle moment, Hayes' grandsons Ben, Will and JD are training Ottobre's filly Jenni's Meadow in what looks to be a wide-open race in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The David Vandyke -trained Philia, chasing a fifth straight victory, has drifted slightly to $4.20 in the betting market after drawing barrier 16 while Jenni's Meadow is $8. Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Benagil is $5.50 and the Chris Waller -trained Movin Out, with James McDonald on board, is $8 in the $700,000 race for three-year-old fillies. Both Movin Out and Jenni's Meadow came from well back in the field to heap the pressure on frontrunning winner Philia in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben two weeks ago. 'She did make a long sustained run and the way she finished off, you'd think the extra 200m (in the Oaks) will be no problem,' Ben Hayes said. 'We're really happy with her and she's done everything right. 'She's really thrived and her final piece of work earlier in the week was excellent. 'We feel like we're right on track, we're just going to need a little bit of luck from barrier one, which is the opposite of The Roses (barrier 14).' Ottobre started out as an apprentice jockey in the early 1970s for legendary trainer Colin Hayes, who established the famous Lindsay Park Stud in South Australia's Barossa Valley. Hayes built a training and breeding empire that produced an incredible 5333 winners by the time he retired in 1990, including two Melbourne Cup victories with Beldale Ball (1980) and At Talaq in 1986. • 'How do they work that out?': Trainer queries Joliestar 'best horse' tag Ottobre eventually realised his future lay in owning horses rather than riding them and he became a successful businessman. He now keeps his stable of horses at his Cape Schanck farm on the Mornington Peninsula, enjoying enormous success over the past two years with three-time Group 1 champion and reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni. 'He's got a little bit of history with Lindsay Park, which is good, so it'll be exciting to get a good winner for Tony,' Ben Hayes said about Ottobre, who names his Jenni horses after his daughter, who tragically died from brain cancer at age 26 in 2015. 'He's passionate and he loves his horses. She (Jenni's Meadow) has been a very good horse for him the whole way through. 'She's a Listed winner, black-type Group 2, Group 3 placed and she'll be around the mark. 'She's definitely more than capable (of winning the Oaks).' All horses in the three Group 1s – the Oaks, Queensland Derby (2400m) and Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) – at Eagle Farm on Saturday have been passed by vets, with the exception of Let's Fly. Vets say the $21 Oaks chance has some muscle soreness and the filly will need to be trotted up again on race morning.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
In-form jockey Ben Allen aiming to continue winter hot streak at Flemington
Jockey Ben Allen wants to build on recent form, consistency and continuity with key rides at Flemington on Saturday. Allen has ridden 22 winners the past month, including multiples at Caulfield, Pakenham, Kilmore and Sale, to build a solid foundation for the winter season. 'I'm just getting better rides and being a bit more consistent,' Allen said. 'I've always been a bit stop start in my career … I'm trying to be more consistent, just keep riding as much as I can and ride for as many people as I can and it seems to be working. 'I've been getting really good support the past few weeks, a lot of riders going away. I've got the opportunities and a lot of luck as well, you need luck on the side and the right horses. 'It will be harder when the bigger riders get back, but while they're gone I've got to make the most of it … it can turn very quickly racing. 'One week you're flying and the other week you could be struggling, so I take it as it comes.' Allen has five rides at Flemington on Saturday including smart two-year-old Miss Ole. The Clinton McDonald-trained filly won nicely at Sandown last start under Ben Melham. 'She's pretty smart,' Allen said. 'I didn't do too much on her (Tuesday gallop), just got a feel and I like her.' Miss Ole stepped slowly first-up at Warrnambool and rattled home to run fifth. The Ole Kirk filly jumped cleanly at Sandown last month and duly saluted. Miss Ole is $2.20 for the 1100m Brendan Drechsler Handicap from Espana, placed third on debut behind the favourite. First starters Santana and Sonofkirk round out the top four in the market. Allen has Oh Too Good in the VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m) on Saturday. The $3.10 second elect behind last-start winner Jimmy The Bear is third-up at Flemington. Oh Too Good placed fourth last start at Sandown. 'She can improve up in trip,' Allen said. 'Drawn outside is ideal, take her time getting across, and she ran well at Flemington before.' Oh Too Good was touched off in a 1600m race at Flemington second-up last campaign. Allen's other Flemington rides include Stylish (Race 3), backing up after a luckless start last Saturday at Caulfield, Ardakan (R7) and Tijuana (R9).
