Outclassed? Undoubtedly. Still impressive? Absolutely.
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After drifting from $34 to $101 when they jumped, Gwenda Markwell's three-year-old filly Either Oar tracked eventual runner-up Marboosha down the famous Flemington straight over 1100m, the final race of the Victorian Oaks day card.
At one point, she even loomed as a place chance, before the contenders swamped her late, finishing 1.7 lengths eighth behind the Hawkes-trained Written Beauty ($1.80), whose class shone in the final 200m.
Either Oar had launched from winning a Class 1 at Kembla Grange last month to the Group 3 Red Rose Stakes over 1100m, with last year's Melbourne Cup winner Craig Williams aboard, and did not disappoint.
There will no doubt be some lofty sprint targets to come in the autumn.
"I love the way your filly acquitted herself, having her first run in Melbourne at that level," Williams told connections afterwards.
It was Either Oar's first start beyond 1000m as well.
But for the moment, it was Perth's leading rider William Pike, a cult hero of sending the punters home a winner, who saluted before heading back to Western Australia for their big carnival to come.
Written Beauty's late surge signalled the Hawkes team's Group 1 intentions next year.
"It's not easy to run up the straight," Hawkes said.
"And she's still a big baby, the size of her, she's huge, you wouldn't want her any bigger.
"She's still just a big kid and she has no idea of her own ability yet.
"I know she didn't win by panels, but you only have to win and she certainly dug deep."
Either Oar's purchase price failed to reach the $10,000 reserve at the Magic Millions sales, and then a $7000 deal fell through after a veterinary inspection.
But now having two wins and two placings from six career starts, there's no doubting Either Oar is proving value for the stable and owners.
Marboosha, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, was a head away from Written Beauty in second, with the Tony and Calvin McEvoy Celestine a further half-length back in third.