Carbery sticks solid in Strictly Business Oaks bid

Tom Carbery is keeping the faith in stable star Strictly Business, who will press on to Saturday’s Group 1 Australasian Oaks as planned, despite two fair runs to begin her autumn campaign.

The VRC Oaks winner ran fifth at $8.50 in the G3 Alexandria Stakes first-up before only beating one rival home when drifting to $4.80 in the Country Oaks at Ballarat on Good Friday.

While he would’ve liked to see her hit the line a bit stronger last start, Carberry said neither race shaped up well for Strictly Business who settled at the rear of the field both times.

A step to 2000m and a return to level weights against her own age and sex, as well as her work in recent days, has Carbery bullish his filly can recapture her spring form.

The trainer believes the G1 SA Derby over 2500m seven days later could be even more suitable for the daughter of Grunt.

“We’re happy enough with her and her condition,” Carberry said.

“Both races so far this preparation haven’t really gone to plan but with that said, our options were very limited and she needed those runs to get her to where we need her for the race on Saturday.

“So rather than looking for medals in those races, it was a case of building her fitness and building her condition and taking our medicine in those races.

“They just crawled for the first half of the race last start and then sprinted, which doesn’t suit her at all.

“I’m very hopeful that back in a race against her own age and grade, she’ll be back in the contest.

“We decided not to go to Sydney because she had a busy spring and to get her there would’ve meant getting her up earlier.

“She looks as fit as she’s been all preparation and the hope is that she runs well on Saturday and justifies hanging around for a week to run in the Derby over 2500m.”

Strictly Business is rated $11 in Bet365’s all-in market for Saturday’s $1 million classic, which is headed by the horse she defeated in the VRC Oaks, Danny O’Brien’s Getta Good Feeling ($2.37).