Trainers Mandy and Matt Brown have indicated Australian Oaks favourite La Bella Diosa will head to the Kembla Grange Classic next week, with Chris Waller’s talented fillies Dawn Wall and Foxplay also set to be among a list of challengers poised to target the Group 3 feature.
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Matt Brown said his Kiwi Raider was bound for the Illawarra Turf Club’s marquee race for three-year-old fillies after La Bella Diosa lapped up a heavy track at Randwick to win the Group 2 Surround Stakes on Saturday.
The Classic, formerly the Keith Nolan Classic, will provide a crucial stepping stone to La Bella Diosa’s Oaks bid at The Championships. La Bella Diosa is currently the $6 favourite with the TAB to win the Oaks.
“The owners wanted to have a bit of a go at the Australian Oaks so we’ve come over early,” Matt Brown said.
“To get a result like this is just great.
“The path to the Oaks is the [Kembla Grange Classic] then perhaps to Rosehill for a 2000m race [Vinery Stud].
“She is pretty classy.’’
The filly was having her first Australian run in the Surround Stakes and will now likely be one of the favourites for the Arrowfield Kembla Grange Classic on March 10.
The past five winners of the Classic have come through the Surround Stakes, however none were winners of the lead-up race.
Last year’s winner Single Gaze, trained by Nick Olive, finished second in the Surround before going on to win at Kembla Grange.
Appearance (2012), Cameo (2013), Zanbagh (2014) and Slightly Sweet (2015) all also ran in the 1400m Group 2 before venturing to the Illawarra.
Leading trainer Waller intends to bring his talented filly Dawn Wall to Kembla after the lightly-raced daughter of Fastnet Rock blitzed rivals in a 1800m at Rosehill Gardens last Wednesday.
She is going to have to drop back from 1800m to the mile (1600m) going to Kembla but it is the best way to head to the Oaks,” Waller told Racing NSW.
“She has a bit of speed in her legs.
“I might think about a bit of gear with her for Kembla but I think the big track will suit her and then she can go to the Adrian Knox and the Oaks, like Royal Descent.
“She certainly looks like a stayer the way she won at Rosehill. She is very strong.”
Dual Group 2 winner Foxplay and Group 1 placegetter Sezanne were early nominations for the event by Waller.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Hussterical and Matthew Smith’s Faraway Town are also believed to be bound for the ATC.
Kembla trainer Mick Tubman plans to target the race with promising filly Bye See – who is a daughter of his former stable star Chance Bye.
Tubman had accepted Bye See for a 1400m event at Kembla on Tuesday before the meeting was washed out.
Theresa Bateup’s Fleeting Styke is also a potential starter in the race.
Close to $500,000 in prizemoney will be up for grabs on the biggest day of racing in the Illawarra.
A full list of nominations for the race day are expected to be released next Monday morning.
