Exciting staying filly Scarlet Oak (Kermadec) claimed her first Black Type and stamped her claims on the G1 Queensland Oaks next month with a fighting victory on Saturday, 25 May in the G2 The Roses over 2,000m at Doomben.
The former New Zealand three-year-old, now prepared by leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller, settled beautifully on the fence in sixth position before champion jockey James McDonald brought the daughter of Darley stallion Kermadec to the centre of the track in the home straight.
Scarlet Oak pounced on the lead and then held off Mare Of Mt Buller and Miss Joelene to record her third win, with one minor placing, from just four starts.
Out of four-time winning Australian mare Tactless, Scarlet Oak was bred by Mr M.G. Brown.
Withdrawn from the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sale, Scarlet Oak caught Waller’s attention while winning a 1,400m maiden at Matamata in New Zealand on 13 March.
Despite her inexperience, Scarlet Oak has progressed quickly since transferring ownership and is now one of the leading fancies for the Queensland Oaks over 2,200m on 8 June.
Her win continued a terrific run for dual G1 winner Kermadec, who is also the sire of recent feature-race winners Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kranji Mile), Tuvalu (Wangoom Handicap), and G1 Queensland Derby hopeful Sonofdec.
A son of renowned stayers’ sire Teofilo, Kermadec now has 94 winners of 262 races worldwide.
That tally includes eight individual Stakes winners, with four at G1 level, of 23 Stakes races.
Kermadec will stand at Northwood Park near Seymour in Victoria this year for a service fee of $16,500 including GST.
– Darley Australia
