2025 The Roses: Philia wins at Doomben for trainer David Vandyke

News.com.au

24-05-2025

It's been an 11-year wait but Caloundra trainer David Vandyke thinks he has the filly to give him a Queensland Oaks.
In 2014, Vandyke won the Doomben Roses with Arabian Gold before that filly came up agonisingly short 14 days later when second to Tinto in the three-year-old fillies' Group 1.
Fast forward to 2025 and Philia led from barrier to box to give Vandyke his second victory in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben on Saturday and bookmakers reacted to the win by firming the filly's Queensland Oaks quote from $11 into $3.50 favouritism for the $700,000 Group 1 on June 7.
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'She was a month between runs and now I've got the nice two-week progression off a hard run today, 2200 (metres). Bring on the Oaks,' Vandyke said.
'Moving forward into the Oaks, when she's got that amazing racing pattern where she can get taken on and absorb pressure, that's a great asset. She loves it.
'She's a half to Duais, a multiple Group 1 winner that won over 2400 (metres) and she goes right back to one of the best families in the world.'
. @KPMcEvoy guides Philia to victory in The Roses for @vandykeracing13! pic.twitter.com/Y24NJjvqxC
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
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Philia was forced to work early in The Roses when challenged leaving the straight by Verona Rose before a midrace move from Canny Queen applied more pressure to the leader, but the daughter of All Too Hard was up to the challenge.
'She was more relaxed in herself today which is pleasing going out in trip,' winning rider Kerrin McEvoy said.
'She kicked off the corner but had a bit of a stargaze at the barriers and thought 'job done' so I got a bit vocal with her but she's heading in the right direction.
'She's bred to and I think she will run the distance of the Oaks.'
Philia ($3.70) defeated two fast-finishing backmarkers, Jenni's Meadow ($31) by three-quarters-of-a-length with Movin Out ($21) another length back in third. The $3.50 favourite Benagil struggled, beaten almost seven lengths into 10th.
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'I knew she was 100 per cent for today,' Vandyke said.
'She had to sprint a few times during the race and still had the audacity to kick in the straight and hold off the late charge.
'Moving forward into the Oaks, when she's got that amazing racing pattern where she can get taken on and absorb pressure, that's a great asset. She loves it.'
Connections of Jenni's Meadow declared 'bring on the Oaks''.
Jockey Ethan Brown declared the filly could have won The Roses if she'd drawn better than barrier 14.
Co-trainer JD Hayes, who prepares the filly with brothers Ben and Will, said: 'That was a huge Oaks trial. She drew really wide, in the carpark actually, so we had to take our medicine and go back. But it was a beautiful Oaks run, bring on two weeks' time.'
Jenni's Meadow firmed from $51 into $8 for the Queensland Oaks while Movin Out shortened from $51 to $11.