VRC Oaks 2024 Group 1 preview & betting tips | November 7

The Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) is the headline act on day three of the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. A field of 14 three-year-old fillies will duke it out for the $1 million on offer in Thursday’s time-honoured classic. Will the Wakeful Stakes from Day 1 of the carnival prove to be the right formline once again? Or should punters be looking out wider ahead of the 2024 VRC Oaks?

2024 VRC Oaks odds

Horse racing bookmakers are expecting the Wakeful Stakes quinella in Treasurethe Moment ($3.20) and Powers Of Opal ($3.80) to be fighting out the finish once again. Outside of the top two in the market, Sydney-based Harlem Queen ($7) and the in-form Too Darn Discreet ($8.50) are the only other runners at a single-figure quote. Pleasure Artist ($12) is the best of the rest.

2024 VRC Oaks speed map

The speed influences in this year’s Oaks seems pretty obvious. After drawing perfectly in barrier two, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Killcare Beachgirl will look to dictate terms throughout. Rank outsider Noises will likely slide across from barrier 11 and look to settle outside the lead, which could allow race favourite Treasurethe Moment to get a cart across the field and lob into a handy position. The likes of Too Darn Discreet (3) and Harlem Queen (5) will look to settle in the top six from their low draws, while the like of Powers Of Opal, Pleasure Artist and Inevitable Truth will be at the rear of the field and looking to savage the line.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 VRC Oaks.

VRC Oaks 2024 preview & form

Harlem Queen was unlucky when finishing fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) on October 26, as she was forced to travel wide without cover and then was held up for a run when looking to build momentum. Everything the Brutal filly has produced this campaign suggests the Flemington straight will suit her perfectly, and she has shown nothing that says she will not see out the trip at the first time of asking. Blake Shinn will have his mount within striking distance throughout, and as others drop off, Harlem Queen can surge to Oaks glory.

Treasurethe Moment has been thoroughly impressive in winning her last three races, including a scintillating performance to beat Oaks rivals Power Of Opal and Killcare Beachgirl in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on VRC Derby Day. She hit the line strongly to put 1.8 lengths on Powers Of Opal and looks like she will see out the 2500m with no qualms. Barrier 12 is a touch concerning, but if Damian Lane can lob her into a handy position without doing too much work, Treasurethe Moment can show exactly why she is the favourite.

Powers Of Opal started as an odds-on favourite with Marantelli Bet in the Wakeful following a dominant maiden win the start prior, but she could not keep up with Treasurethe Moment inside the final furlong. It was her first go the Victorian way, so she will no doubt improve for the run, and with John Sargent as trainer, she is certainly in the right camp to overturn the result. James McDonald will give her the best opportunity possible from a midfield position, and as long as she can see out the trip, Powers Of Opal will be there or thereabouts.

Outside of Too Darn Discreet and Pleasure Artist, it is hard to make too much of a case for many others. However, as Knight’s Choice showed in the Melbourne Cup, anything is possible in racing.

VRC Oaks 2024 selections & best bets

• 3
  

  HARLEM QUEEN

• 1
  

  TREASURETHE MOMENT

• 5
  

  POWERS OF OPAL

• 6
  

  PLEASURE ARTIST

VRC Oaks 2024 final field

1. Treasurethe Moment (12)

• T: Matt Laurie
• J: Damian Lane
• W: 56kg
• F: 1112x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Alabama Express
• Dam: Draconic Treasure (USA)

+200
-250

2. Too Darn Discreet (3)

• T: Dan O’Sullivan
• J: Michael Dee
• W: 56kg
• F: 1117x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Too Darn Hot (GB)
• Dam: Maybe Discreet

+800
+140

3. Harlem Queen (5)

• T: Nathan Doyle
• J: Blake Shinn
• W: 56kg
• F: 4211x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Brutal (NZ)
• Dam: Harlem River

+600
+105

4. Rag Queen (4)

• T: David Payne
• J: Chad Schofield
• W: 56kg
• F: 7470xli>
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: D’argento
• Dam: Victory Day

+2500
+375

5. Powers Of Opal (9)

• T: John Sargent
• J: James McDonald
• W: 56kg
• F: 21434
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Ocean Park (NZ)
• Dam: Strada Cavallo (NZ)

+270
-200

6. Pleasure Artist (6)

• T: Richard & Will Freedman
• J: Craig Williams
• W: 56kg
• F: 5214x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Trapeze Artist
• Dam: Perfect Pleasure

+1100
+180

7. Talisay (8)

• T: Byron Cozamanis
• J: Billy Egan
• W: 56kg
• F: 63314
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Pride of Dubai
• Dam: Mykaetob

+4500
+675

8. Femminile (13)

• T: Phillip Stokes
• J: Daniel Stackhouse
• W: 56kg
• F: 369×1
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Dundeel (NZ)
• Dam: Femme Fireball

+1900
+300

9. Killcare Beachgirl (2)

• T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
• J: Tim Clark
• W: 56kg
• F: 3633x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Too Darn Hot (GB)
• Dam: Absolute Joy (NZ)

+2500
+400

10. Noises (11)

• T: Brad Widdup
• J: Andrew Adkins
• W: 56kg
• F: 82112
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Microphone
• Dam: Beetobee (JPN)

+8000
+1100

11. Hurry Curry (7)

• T: Danny O’Brien
• J: Joao Moreira
• W: 56kg
• F: 5116x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Ocean Park (NZ)
• Dam: Hurry (NZ)

+2600
+375

12. Inevitable Truth (1)

• T: John Sargent
• J: Jye McNeil
• W: 56kg
• F: 44252
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: Fastnet Rock
• Dam: Scarletini

+3400
+525

13. Placid Pearl (14)

• T: Matthew Smith
• J: Ben Melham
• W: 56kg
• F: 1242x
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: D’argento
• Dam: South Pearl

+6000
+875

14. All Kinds Of Folk (10)

• T: John & Chris Ledger
• J: Luke Currie
• W: 56kg
• F: 98443
• Age: 3YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Filly
• Sire: D’argento
• Dam: She Brings Hope

+15000
+1925

Horse racing tips