Zardozi, the filly Amazonian Lass narrowly defeated in the Wakeful Stakes, is favourite at $2.90 and has the task of continuing the good job of making it a hat-trick of wins for the punters’ pick following Willowy ($3.80) and She’s Extreme ($2.30).
They are the only favourites to have scored since 2014 but there was a good run of favourites in the lead-up to that with eight of the previous 11 getting the job done, while since 2003 the only winner who started longer than $7.50 was 100/1 shot Lasqueti Spirit in 2016.
The only other runner at a sub-$7.50 quote this year is Tropical Squall, who is looking to join Samantha Miss (2008), Slight Chance (1992), Research (1988) and Nizam’s Ring (1947) as the only fillies to complete the Flight Stakes/Kennedy Oaks double.
Next in line, at $8.50, is Basilinna, who is Damien Oliver’s shot at one final Kennedy Oaks win.
The Hall of Fame hoop won three in a row aboard Miami Bound, Personal and Willowy from 2019-21 which saw him join seven-time winner Bobby Lewis as the most successful jockey in Oaks history.
Lewis is the only rider to have won one of the Cup Carnival’s Group 1 events eight times, something he achieved in the Victoria Derby, a feat Oliver is striving to emulate aboard Basilinna.