Seven Queensland Oaks (Group 1)

CO Wexford-born Declan Bates landed his sixth career Group 1 winning last Saturday’s A$700,000 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm.

Riding the Ciaron Maher-trained Fireball Miss, a last-start winner of The Roses, a traditional Group 2 Oaks warm-up, the Bivouac filly had the race won a long way out.

Launching from midfield at the top of the straight, Bates got Fireball Miss in clear air as she motored past her 17 rivals to hit the front 200 metres out.

Cruising away, she won by nearly two lengths ahead of the Trapeze Artist filly Panova and the winner’s stablemate, the Circus Maximus filly Paltrow Miss.

“I actually wasn’t super happy in the run,” reflected Bates. “She began okay but it was a little bit messy and she didn’t relax as well as she normally does.

“When you’re stepping out to 2,200 metres, you really need them to switch off but she never felt like she was fully relaxed. It didn’t matter, because she just built through her gears and put them away. So she’s a nice filly and she’s very much on the up. She’s clearly got a good engine.

“Sometimes the three-wide line is the best place to be, because you tend to flow into the race a bit better,” added Bates. “That was probably the key today, because if we’d been bottled up inside she might have gone a bit wrong. She was simply too good.

“What can you say about Ciaron? He’s just a master. I love when I ride one of his horses on a big Group 1 day and he has that little twinkle in his eye. When he has that smile you just know the horse is on today. When I walked out today, he had that grin.”

Purchased for $140,000 from the Inglis Easter yearling sale, Fireball Miss has now won three of her seven starts having debuted in February for her owner Bennett Racing.

“It was a brilliant ride by Dec, we were very confident today and she’s got the job done,” said Ciaron Maher.

“You can see how well she looks, and I think she’s a filly for the future. She had a pretty sweet run and you can see what a beautiful action she’s got. When she matures fully, she’s going to be a nice mare.”

Bates makes the double

FOUR races prior to his Queensland Oaks success, Declan Bates laid the foundation for a stakes double with a win in the Listed Show A Heart aboard Voynichese for the New South Wales-based Queanbeyan trainer Nick Olive.

A 1,500 metre event for juveniles, the win has opened the door for Nick Olive to start the Pinatubo filly in today’s Group 1 JJ Atkins over 1,600 metres.

“Voynichese’s only a little filly to look at, but she doesn’t feel little when you’re riding her,” said Bates. “She really lengthens nicely, has a beautiful stride on her and she was far superior today.

“We probably got to the front too soon because she had a little look around, so it was just a matter of keeping her mind on the job to the line. But the race was effectively over at the top of the straight.”

It will be a busy two hours for Bates at the end of today’s Eagle Farm meeting, he finishes the programme with rides in two Group 1s and two Group 2s, the last of the day aboard the cult hero Pride Of Jenni in the A$1.2 million Q22 in which she is second favourite behind the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double winner Half Yours.

Held over 2,200 metres it will be the first time Pride Of Jenni has raced beyond 2,000 metres.

Surfin’ Bird on a wave

GAI Waterhouse and Adrian Bott combined at Eagle Farm to take out the A$500,000 Magic Millions National Classic over 1,600 metres with Surfin’ Bird on Saturday.

The four-year-old The Autumn Sun filly hit the front at the top of the straight to provide connections with a gritty win having denied all challengers. “If you go back through her form, her win at Caulfield over seven furlongs was phenomenal. I think the key to her is building momentum. She likes to sustain a gallop,” said jockey Tim Clark.

“This race has been her target, so it’s always nice when a plan comes off.”

A winner of five from nine for just over $500,000 in earnings, Surfin’ Bird will have her First Light Racing syndicate of owners back at Eagle Farm on June 27th for the final Group 1 of the racing season, the Tattersall’s Tiara over 1,400 metres for fillies and mares.