Having drawn the outside alley in the Eagle Farm feature, the David Vandyke-trained Gypsy Goddess was snagged back to third last under the ex-Western Australian hoop, before he began to improve on the filly at the 800m and then really got her into the race at the 600m.
The filly by Tarzino looped the field in one swift swoop and accelerated brilliantly at the top of the straight, putting paid to her rivals and outstaying a brave Barb Raider and Le Villi at the end of 2200m.
2022 QUEENSLAND OAKS RACE REPLAY
A cool, calm and collected Pike – who picked up his first Group 1 since moving east – put the fillies’ arrogant win down to her having a “bit on this field”.
“I guess barriers aren’t too big of an issue when you have a horse with gears like her,” Pike said.
“She had a bit on this field today. I rode her accordingly but I still got there a bit early. That was ‘Plan B’ for sure.”
Winning trainer, David Vandyke, said it was unbelievable to win a Group 1 with this filly, given it was only seven months ago that she won her maiden – something he didn’t even think she could achieve.
But, after winning five straight races and placing in consecutive Group 1 events in New South Wales, the top-line victory on home soil was a “career highlight” for the Sunshine Coast-based trainer.
“This is my career highlight with this girl,” the winning trainer said.
“Seven and-a-half months ago she won her maiden, which I didn’t even think she could do. Now, it’s been a journey, such an arduous time, and to see her wrap up a field of quality fillies like that, at Group 1 level in our home state, that’ll do me.
“She’s had a hard journey. She’s raced up here (Queensland), she went down (to Sydney) on the heavy tracks, came back up.
“I said to the boys a couple of weeks ago, ‘if it was any other horse, we’d probably turn her out’.
“But, we just gave her every chance to get here. She bounced back well this last week. Willie (William Pike) probably wished he waited another furlong, she just rounded them up and went to the front, I thought he might’ve gone too soon.”
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