Inspired by the Cup week heroics of Tom Carberry, Cranbourne trainer Luke Oliver will attempt to unearth his own G1 filly in Saturday’s revamped $1 million Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Two decades into his career as a trainer, Oliver has saddled up eight Stakes winners but still yearns for a horse that can secure his stable a coveted G1 race.
He hopes he’s found that in Tagaloa filly Teine Aulelei, who has emerged as a talent with a series of head-turning runs in Stakes races, including a placing in the G3 Vanity on Derby Day an hour before Strictly Business ran second in the Wakeful Stakes.
For Oliver, Strictly Business’ G1 Oaks win five days later was a timely reminder that elite horses aren’t just restricted to expensive bluebloods in mega stables.
“What a story that was,” Oliver said.
“The guts it took to run, not even in the Oaks, but the Wakeful Stakes a week after breaking her maiden, is the part that stood out for me.”
“Stories like that have always been the beauty of racing, it’s the Takeover Target-type story of beating the best with any horse.”
“That horse definitely reminds you to dream a little bit.”
“That’s part of the reason why we have a crack in the million dollar race on Saturday – My Gladiola should win the race but it’s horse racing, there are fairytales and you’ve got to be in it to win.”
Oliver had initially considered the G2 Sandown Guineas over 1600m for Teine Aulelei but he abandoned those plans after the filly took some time to recover from her most recent run.
A positive report from Ben Melham, who rode the filly in a piece of work on Tuesday morning, convinced him to instead drop back 200m and tackle other fillies in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes, which has received a significant prizemoney injection.
“Heading into the race (Vanity), I thought we would either go to the Guineas or spell but the run took a little bit out of her,” he said.
“I couldn’t keep the work up to her to go to the Guineas but then she started bouncing around the stables so we thought we’re here, she’s well, we may as well have a crack at the good money.”
“Ben Melham came in to ride her this morning and said she feels great.”
“It’s worth a million dollars, she’s fit and well so we’d be crazy not to have a throw at the stumps.”
“All our data says that she’s probably going to get over a mile and 2000m in time and we haven’t explored any of that yet.”
“That’s going to be the exciting thing next preparation when we get her out to the mile.”
While Oliver will leave tactics to Melham, he hopes a kind draw can allow the filly to settle closer than she has in recent runs at Flemington and The Valley.
“She showed good speed and was up on pace at her first start,” he said.
“For different reasons, we’ve ridden her quietly and she’s learned to switch off.”
“I’d certainly hope that if she draws a better barrier, she can take up a spot and not have to concede as big a start as she has.”
“It should be a high pressure race so hopefully that makes it a tough 1200m because that’s probably the bottom of her distance range.”
