A shot at the Queensland Oaks will be on the line for lightly raced filly Khutulun at Caulfield on Saturday.
While trainer Luke Oliver is sending Jessy Belle north to NSW for Saturday’s lucrative Scone Guineas, Khutulun could also earn an interstate trip if she can figure in the finish in a 2000-metre race for three-year-olds in Melbourne.
Connections would need to pay an $11,550 late entry fee to run Khutulun in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) on May 31.
“She would definitely have to run top three but certainly if she ran well we’ll consider it,” Oliver said.
The late entry is due next Wednesday.
“So we get to run on Saturday and get to see how she pulls and we can then decide whether we go there,” Oliver said.
Khutulun has had four starts for two wins including a Saturday-class city win at Sandown two starts ago.
The daughter of Soldier’s Tale finished a close third over 2000m on a slow track at Caulfield last Saturday week with apprentice Jye McNeil aboard.
Oliver has called on comeback jockey Ben Melham to ride Khutulun this time and said the senior hoop was pleased with the filly’s trackwork on Tuesday.
Melham made a memorable return from hip surgery at Morphettville on Saturday, winning the Group One Goodwood on Smokin’ Joey at his first race meeting back since the end of the spring carnival.
Khutulun worked the reverse way of going at Caulfield on Tuesday with Jessy Belle.
Oliver said the $400,000 Scone Guineas (1400m) had been a target for Jessy Belle who has been runner-up in her two starts in Melbourne this campaign.
Jessy Belle will have winkers for the first time and Oliver has booked Glyn Schofield to ride.
“This race has been our goal all preparation and we’ll only hit it third up and we’ve put the winkers on just to make her a little bit sharper,” Oliver said.
“The last three or four weeks she has been galloping the reverse way at Caulfield. It feels like she’s a pretty adaptable horse so she’s ready to go up there and run well.”
He said Jessy Belle’s gallop on Tuesday was probably the filly’s best this campaign.
