Australian Racing: Harlem Queen can rule at Flemington

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Thursday, including Group 1 action at Flemington.

Race 8 Flemington

Harlem Queen @ 6.00

Race 7 Flemington

I Found You @ 7.50

Race 7 Hawkesbury

Felix Majestic @ 8.00

Queen to rule in Oaks

The Group 1 VRC Oaks is the feature at Flemington, with the 2500m contest restricted to three-year-old fillies set to take place as the penultimate race of the day.

Jockey James McDonald goes in search of big race glory on board Powers Of Opal for trainer John Sargent.

The daughter of Ocean Park broke through for her first victory when successful by five-and-a-half-lengths in a 1600m maiden at Hawkesbury on her penultimate start.

Powers Of Opal went on to deliver a second-place finish in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes over 2000m at this venue last weekend.

While she shapes as if the extra distance here will suit, preference is for HARLEM QUEEN who tackled the boys in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick last month.

The pick was beaten two lengths into fourth having been forced to race wide and without cover that day and she has a good barrier in five here.

Nathan Doyle’s representative had previously finished runner-up in a six-runner renewal of the Group 1 Flight Stakes over 1600m at Randwick.

Both of those efforts came on a good 4 surface and she is expected to appreciate the step up in distance here.

Blake Shinn takes the ride for the first time and he looks up to recording a big race win on board the daughter of Brutal.

Found for Flemington glory

The race prior to the Oaks is the 3AW Red Roses Stakes, a Group 3 1100m contest for three-year-old fillies.

Bold Bastille has won half of her eight career starts and is expected to prove popular with punters.

Trained by Ben, JD & Will Hayes, she ended her last prep with a victory in the 1000m VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo in April.

While unable to score in three starts this time around, she has acquitted herself with credit, including when seventh in the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes over 1200m last time.

The youngster raced at Moonee Valley that day and is expected to appreciate the drop back in distance.

Peter Snowden’s lightly-raced I FOUND YOU is the selection here however, having demonstrated good form as a two-year-old.

I Found You debuted with an impressive victory by nearly four lengths when contesting an 1150m maiden on the Kensington track at Randwick in June.

The filly raced on a heavy 8 track that day and encountered quicker conditions when runner-up on a soft 5 surface over 1200m here the following month.

That course effort saw her beaten less than half-a-length in the 1200m Next Generations Sprinters Series Final.

The daughter of I Am Invincible demonstrated improvement in her second barrier trial when a close up fifth at Hawkesbury last week and looks ready to strike first up.

Majestic to claim Cup

Away from Melbourne, Hawkesbury are due to stage the 1500m Listed Ladies Day Cup, an open handicap contest.

Gary Nickson’s FELIX MAJESTIC has been allocated an inside barrier here and he has performed well in stronger races on his two most recent starts.

The first of those saw the gelding finish two-and-a-half-lengths sixth in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes over 1400m at Randwick in September.

Felix Majestic went on to lose out by less than one-and-a-half-lengths in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap over the same course and distance two weeks later.

Molly Bourke, on board for each of the gelding’s last five starts, is again set to ride with her mount having been freshened since that Bill Ritchie effort.

The five-year-old impressed in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm last month and he looks capable of recording his first win of the year.