The 2020 Kennedy Oaks headlines a big day of racing at Flemington on Thursday and 14 fillies will contest the Group 1 event.
It is Montefilia that is a dominant favourite in our Kennedy Oaks market on the back of her wins in the Flight Stakes and the Spring Champion Stakes and she is clearly the horse to beat.
Will Montefilia get the job done or will there be a Kennedy Oaks upset?
We have analysed every single horse in the field and our complete 2020 Kennedy Oaks tips can be found below.
Montefilia
Montefilia is deserving of her status as a dominant favourite in Kennedy Oaks betting.
She stamped herself as a potential star with an upset win in the Flight Stakes and she backed that up with another classy win in the Spring Champion Stakes.
The Kermadec filly has always looked as though she would be more effective when she got out over more ground and on exposed form she does have a genuine class edge over the rest of this field.
I’m actually got her marked shorter than her current odds of $1.80 and I’d be happy to dive in.
Personal
Personal is the only horse that I think is capable of beating Montefilia in the Kennedy Oaks.
She has become something of a non-winner, after stringing together a host of second place finishes, but there was plenty of merit in her performance in the Wakeful Stakes.
They went pretty quickly in the Wakeful Stakes, which may have dulled her sprint, and that gives her a good platform for the Kennedy Oaks.
This could turn into a genuine sit and sprint and I think she is the horse that can match it with Montefilia in that scenario.
Cafe Rizu
Cafe Rizu heads into the Kennedy Oaks on the back of flat efforts in the Edward Manifold Stakes and the Ethereal Stakes.
It is tough to have her in the Kennedy Oaks off that effort.
Succeed Indeed
Succeed Indeed was disappointing after being well-backed in the Ethereal Stakes and she was never really a factor in the Wakeful Stakes on Saturday.
The barrier makes things tricky and she doesn’t appear to be going well enough to be a genuine threat in this contest.
Salto Angel
Johnny Get Angry won the Victoria Derby as a maiden on Saturday and connections will be hoping that Salto Angel can repeat that effort in the Kennedy Oaks.
She was very good late in the Ethereal Stakes and she made up good ground again late in the Wakeful Stakes.
The Sacred Falls filly is heading in the right direction and I think she is capable of producing a better effort than her current odds of $26 suggest.
Miravalle
Miravalle has been well-backed in early betting for the Kennedy Oaks and she is now into $7.
She was a touch disappointing in both the Flight Stakes and the Spring Champion Stakes, but she stamped herself as a Kennedy Oaks contender when she ran the fastest closing sectionals in the Wakeful Stakes.
In saying that, she was entitled to run on after they set a strong early tempo and I think that the run of Personal was more impressive.
I am happy to take her on the current quote of $7.
Tyche Goddess
Tyche Goddess battled on bravely after setting the tempo in the Wakeful Stakes and it would not surprise to see her take up the running in the early stages of this race.
She gives the impression that she will relish the step-up to 2500 metres and Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle is a positive.
I have her right in the mix for the placings.
Biarchi
Biarchi is on the quick back-up after scoring at Morphettville on Saturday.
She is a filly with some upside and I like horses on the quick back-up, but this is easily the toughest test of her racing career to date.
Star Of Eden
Star Of Eden is another filly that has the chance to break her maiden in the Kennedy Oaks.
She finished third in both the Kennedy Oaks Trial and the Ethereal Stakes and has improved each time that she has been seen at the races.
I don’t think she is good enough to mix with the likes of Montefilia, but there is no reason she can’t run well.
Art Glass
Art Glass was outcalssed in the Ethereal Stakes and she has never shown anything to suggest that she is capable of winning a race of this qualuty.
Vilanculos
Vilanculos finished third in the Geelong Classic, but I am fairly skeptical of the quality of form coming out of that race.
Before that she was beaten in a maiden at Kyneton.
She does have the benefit of Jamie Kah in the saddle and Danny O’Brien knows how to win this race, but I am still happy to be against her.
Hard Squeeze
Hard Squeeze won a maiden at Echuca last start in dominant fashion, but this is a huge step-up in class.
Before that she was comfortably beaten in the Kennedy Oaks Trial.
Yatton
Yatton looked to be heading in the right direction when she found the line nicely in the Kennedy Oaks Trial, but she was soundly beaten in the Ethereal Stakes.
It is impossible to have her in this race off that effort.
Swindon Lass
Swindon Lass was soundly beaten in both the Kennedy Oaks Trial and the Ethereal Stakes.
She is one of the extreme outsiders in this field for a reason.
Coolmore Stud Stakes Tip
1 Montefilia at $1.85