The Australian Oaks is the first of four Group 1 races taking place on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

This year’s edition of the three year-old classic is a very open betting affair with four horses currently under $5.00.

The Australian Oaks was first run in 1885 and has been won by some champion fillies including Flight (1944), Leilani (1974), Surround (1977), Research (1989) and more recently Verry Elleegant (2019).

Our full 2021 Australian Oaks Preview can be read below.

Montefilia

All three of Montefilia’s starts during this autumn campaign have been at Group 1 level and all three have been full of merit.

She finished sixth first up over the unsuitable 1400m in the Surround Stakes, followed that up with a third, beaten less than a length, in the Rosehill Guineas against the boys and then was fourth in the Australian Derby last Saturday.

Proving she is a filly of enormous ability, she actually started favourite last week when she was attempting to make history by becoming the first filly to win the Derby since Shamrocker in 2011.

She snuck up the inside and looked the winner at one stage but was overrun late in the race to finish within 2.4 lengths of Explosive Jack.

There is no question mark on the filly’s ability having already won two group 1 races but there is a concern on the horse over 2400m.

Jason Collett steers from barrier eight.

Amarelinha

Amarelinha brings some excellent form over from New Zealand into the Australian Oaks having won three black type races in a row.

In fact, she has now won five of her last six races since winning her maiden on Boxing Day last year so the filly comes into the race rock hard fit.

Her brilliant form culminated in a fairly soft win in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks last start when she looped her rivals at Trentham to score by a length as the $1.60 favourite.

The daughter of champion New Zealand sire Savabeel is a very progressive filly and although this is a big step up in class, she profiles as the perfect type to win this race.

Punters are clearly confident that she will run here with plenty of early support in betting.

Oppie Bosson will ride from barrier seven.

Hungry Heart

The Chris Waller trained Hungry Heart is a filly that has always shown a fair amount of ability.

She was beaten less than half a length is three group races in the spring at Royal Randwick, including a very narrow defeat to Montefilia in the Group 1 Flight Stakes.

Her first two runs this prep were below her best but she has now strung together two wins on the trot including her maiden Group 1 win in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill last start.

That win was made all the more impressive when she came from last to win on a day where it was almost impossible to make up ground.

It was her first start beyond 1600m and this is now her first start beyond 2000m, which remains a query but she is a very classy young filly which will take her a long way.

Kerrin Mcevoy is piloting from barrier three.

Harmony Rose

Harmony Rose is a very progressive type of filly who made the jump from a win in a Benchmark 72 to finish third in the Randwick Guineas against the boys earlier this prep.

The grey daughter of Glass Harmonium was then pipped very late by Hungry Heart in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes last start as the favourite in a race that was run to suit her.

She rounded the turn with a good gap on her rivals on the fence that day, which was exactly where you wanted to be, and although she was run over late, she beat home the others by a fair margin.

The distance has to be a concern for punters, as it is with a few of these, but she has a fair amount of class and makes her own luck on the speed.

Joshua Parr steers from barrier five.

Impecunious

Impecunious won a class 1 at Caulfield back in December over 1200m by over two lengths and the stable knew they had a good filly on their hands.

She has since not finished worst than fourth at her next three runs including a third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes behind Harmony Rose and Hungry Heart.

The daughter of Sacred Falls looked a lot more dour than the two fillies that finished in front of her and the step up in distance will not be a problem for her.

Damien Oliver will ride from barrier nine.

Duais

Duais earned her shot at the Group 1 Australian Oak with an impressive win in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakeson Day 1 of The Championships.

The daughter of Shamus Award will be having just her sixth career race start in this race but she has now put together two wins on the trot.

She could not have been much more impressive in that race and she is clearly a filly with a big amount of upside.

If she continues to improve she can run a really nice race at nice each way odds.

Hugh Bowman steers from barrier 10.

Bargain

Bargain gets her chance at group 1 level with a fast finishing second behind Duais in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes last weekend.

The daughter of Ocean Park was doing her best work late in the 2000m race and she is bred to stay.

The progressive and lightly raced filly would not shock if she ran into the minor placings at a very nice price.

James McDonald has the sit and will jump from barrier one.

Land Ahoy

Land Ahoy put together two wins in a row over 1600m at Newcastle and then Canberra before stepping up in grade last start.

She was well beaten in the Adrian Knox Stakes last weekend but she is a filly that will only get better as she rises in distance.

$51 is probably over the odds but she will need to continue to improve to be a chance at Group 1 glory at her eighth start.

Alysha Collett steers from barrier four.

Signora Nera

Signora Nera has not had a spell since making her debut at Awapuni back in July of last year.

She has had 10 starts in that time for two wins and has failed to finish better than fifth in her two Australian runs so far.

She was far from disgraced in the Adrian Knox Stakes last Saturday when 3.7 lengths behind Duais but she is another that will need to improve to beat the top line fillies at the top of the market.

Brenton Avdulla is booked and will jump from barrier six.

Sassysav

Sassysav broke through for her maiden race win at Wyong last start on a heavy track at her fourth career start.

She opened $201 which was a ridiculous price for a last start winner over 2100m but she is still huge odds to win a race of this quality.

This is her first start on a metropolitan track and Craig Williams will steer from barrier two.

Australian Oaks Tips

September Run at $3.00