Crown Oaks: what it takes to win

The Group 1 VRC Crown Oaks (2500m) headlines the third day of the Flemington carnival in what looks a fairly strong edition of the staying classic, according to Racing and Sports ratings.

Using Racing and Sports historical data, we can see which horses have the ratings profile to measure up to the typical winning standard of the VRC Oaks over the past ten years, which can be seen below.

Jameka is clearly the best Oaks winner of the past ten years, and that rating certainly stood up over her career as she went on to win a Caulfield Cup rated 124.

Just last year, Zardozi was outstanding winning the Oaks having run second in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Victoria Derby Day, and she returned a year later with a very brave fourth in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

This year, we have four fillies already up to the lowest rated recent Oaks winner and one already up to a typical Oaks, which suggests the winning standard this year will be on the high side.

Treasurethe Moment will go into Thursday as the highest rated horse having run to 109 on the Racing & Sports ratings to win Saturday’s Wakeful Stakes – the highest rated Wakeful winner in some time.

Like Zardozi, Powers Of Opal ran second in the Wakeful as a short-priced favourite and holds a rating of 105 for her 1.8 length defeat.

Too Darn Discreet is also rated 105 off her win in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) having also run to 104 at Flemington in her Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) win prior.

The other filly rated 105 is Harlem Queen for trainer Nathan Doyle who is looking to win his first ever race at stakes level – what a stage to do it on!

Harlem Queen ran to 105 when fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) behind El Castello, who was a brave fourth in Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby.