Benagil confirmed her status as one of Australia’s premier staying fillies with a brilliant win in Saturday’s Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.
Trained by Glen Thompson and expertly ridden by Mark Zahra, Benagil, the $3.10 favourite with horse racing bookmakers, overcame a slow start to storm down the outside and score a dominant victory, delivering Thompson his first Group 1 success as a solo trainer.
After settling near the tail of the field, Zahra was content to bide his time before unleashing a sustained sprint at the top of the straight to put the race to bed.
In a terrific staying performance, the daughter of Manhattan Rain surged clear inside the final 200m to beat long-shot Sweltering ($201) by 1.29 lengths, with Polymnia ($4.60) flashing home into third.
2025 Group 1 Australasian Oaks Replay – Benagil
“She looked fantastic today,” Zahra said.
“They went at a good tempo, and I was just smoking the pipe.
“When I let her down, she exploded. She’s a real class filly.”
Trainer Glen Thompson fought back emotion post-race, reflecting on a tough few weeks personally and professionally.
“We got her here in as good order as we could,” he said.
“She raced like the filly we always believed she was. It’s a huge moment for the team.”
Benagil’s Oaks triumph capped a remarkable campaign after she finished runner-up in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney.
The victory was also sweet for owner Phil Campbell, who bred the filly and was trackside to share the special moment.
Thompson hinted that a trip to Brisbane for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks could now be on the table, depending on how Benagil pulls up, with pricing her as a $6 favourite.
“There’s definitely a possibility,” he said.
“We’ll let her tell us.”
Saturday’s win took Benagil’s record to four wins from 10 starts and pushed her career earnings over the $1.1 million mark.
It was also back-to-back Australasian Oaks wins for jockey Mark Zahra, who claimed the 2024 edition aboard Vibrant Sun.
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