CURRY HURRIES INTO OAKS

Trainer Danny O’Brien knows what it takes to win the Group 1 VRC Oaks, and he may have a serious contender on his hands for 2024 in Ocean Park filly Hurry Curry, who won the 1800-metre Oaks Preview comfortably at Flemington on Sunday.

The Waikato Stud-owned galloper was far too good rising from 1200 metres to a mile at Bairnsdale last start and despite the step-up in class, started a $3.80 chance in an open affair.

Jye McNeil settled Hurry Curry outside the leader Mumsie ($61) and got a stroke of luck when Call Me Rhonda pushed up and gave O’Brien’s galloper cover.

The pair popped out three-wide around the bend and looked the winner from a long way out, hitting the lead at the 300m mark and never looking in danger.

While O’Brien thinks Hurry Curry will likely improve again into autumn, he will give her every chance to take her now reserved spot in November’s Oaks.

The trainer has already won the race once before with talented stayer Miami Bound in 2019.

“She’s a lovely filly, from a family of the Chick’s (owner Mark Chittick) that we’ve had some good success with over the years,” he said.

“And she’s by Ocean Park, who can get a really good middle-distance horse… she’s only been to the races before twice, and her first time was over 1200m, very much for education.

“Her second start at Bairnsdale she won quite convincingly, and it’s only her third start today, and she’s probably won quite softly again.

“Promising signs – she’s a filly that will definitely be better again in the autumn, but we’ll give her a chance to push on deeper into the spring now.”

All going smoothly, the path to the Oaks looks fairly traditional for Hurry Curry, with O’Brien identifying the 2000m G3 Ethereal Stakes and G2 Wakeful as the ideal lead-up.

“As long as she physically does well over the next few weeks, she probably won’t run now for four weeks,” he said.

“She’ll go to the fillies’ race they have on Caulfield Cup Day, and then, obviously, it’s on from there to the Wakeful and the Oaks, if everything’s going well.”

Hurry Curry is now a $15 chance for the VRC Oaks in pre-nom markets.

Story by Darcy Cosgriff for Racing.com

Pic by Racing Photos