She’s Extreme has won the Group 1 VRC Oaks after a 10 out of 10 ride by jockey Tommy Berry, taking out the feature on VRC Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday.
Tommy Berry gave his filly a great ride as she jumped very well from barrier and sat in the box-seat for the majority of the 2500m event, before gaining the run up the inside rail and ended up winning by a length on the line.
She’s Extreme was the race favourite at $2.35 with online bookmakers, and she dually saluted for favourite backers as she was victorious over the race leader, Pavitra and Queen Air who sat outside of her throughout the race.
VRC Oaks Replay
This win in the 2022 VRC Oaks means that the Cummings family have now gone back-to-back in the race with James Cummings winning this race last year with Willowy and Anthony Cummings taking out the 2022 edition of the time-honoured Group 1.
“On that theme, its probably Edward’s turn next year, so hopefully he’s got the right horse,” Anthony Cummings said post-race.
“I’m just really proud. The filly did really well, it’s the icing on the cake of what’s been a very good preparation for her.
“It’s nice to see her get the right breaks today and Tommy (Berry) rode her really well and accessed the situation at every turn.
“He was in the right spot every step of the way and it was a toss up about what happen at the top of straight. He thought they would roll off and he thought that the inside would be the place to be.”
Cummings jokingly said that all he could think at the top of the straight, was for Berry to get in front and just go on with it.
Tommy Berry has now won 37 Group 1’s in his career, but this win in the Oaks is his first ever VRC Oaks.
“I’ve ridden a lot of good gelding and colts, but I haven’t really ridden any good fillies.”
Berry explained that he hasn’t really had the chance to win an Oaks on any of the fillies that he has ridden to date.
“I’ve always admired Hugh Bowman and him riding Oaks on good fillies.
“I wasn’t a very patient rider when I was younger and over the years I’ve grown to become a lot more patient of a rider and I think that shows in staying races over the last five or six years.”
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