BEAUTIFULLY relaxed in the run with the pace at times pedestrian, the Godolphin filly Willowy, a daughter of the Teofilo horse Kermadec, became the 38th filly to complete the Wakeful Stakes (on Derby Day) - Victoria Oaks double, and the third in the past four years.

Over 2,500 metres, Thursday’s A$1 million Group 1 was threatening to be an upset with the 20/1 No Nay Never filly Douceur ridden positively to take a sit behind the leader before taking over through the final bend.

Douceur kicked clear from the field with Willowoy digging deep to follow. A length in front at the 100, then a half length at the 50, Damien Oliver lifted Willowy in those final strides to nail Douceur in a thriller.

“My first sit on her but what a dream to ride,” said Oliver. “She dropped the bridle and went to sleep for me with the slow pace and when I asked her for effort she quickened up well. (Douceur) took a bit of getting past. I thought she had me done inside the 200. I really asked her for the supreme effort over the last 50 metres and I couldn’t have asked the horse to respond better for me.”

The win was a seventh Oaks victory to Damien Oliver taking him to 126 Group 1 wins to equal the Australasain record of the legendary George Moore, while for James Cummings, whose grandfather Bart holds the Oaks record at nine, it was his first win.

“She’s been able to come down here, get herself together and it takes a filly with a great temperament and a great constitution to do what she’s done,” said Cummings.

PROMINENT owner Terry Henderson of OTI Racing whose syndicate horse Future Score, trained by Matt Cumani, was withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup after failing a veterinary test on race morning has called for a re-evaluation of Racing Victoria’s veterinary protocols for Melbourne Cup runners.

“I think it’s fair to say that I’m sure that Racing Victoria will have a look at the process that’s been applied in the last 12 months, because that process is an outlier on international standards,” said Henderson. “The processes that were developed were simply over the top on a benchmarking basis by international standards. You’ve got a situation where what you’re trying to do, to fix something, is backfiring on you because it’s actually watering down any appeal that the race might have to these internationals.”