Ciaron Maher's Crown Oaks winner Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) has been mixing it with the boys of late and was far from disgraced when beaten only two lengths into third in last weekend's G1 Rosehill Guineas. She heads a 14-strong challenge for Saturday's A$500,000 G1 Vinery Stud S. and is vying for favouritism with Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), who finished a length and a half in front of her to take third in the G1 Australian Guineas on Mar. 5.
Jameka's conqueror in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield back in the spring was the regally-bred Stay With Me (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), who has been showing decent placed form since resuming in mid-February and has family honour at stake here as her mother, the classy and versatile Miss Finland (Aus), won this race in 2007–one of five Group 1 contests she claimed, including the Golden Slipper and the Crown Oaks.
Honesta (Aus) (Monaco Consul {NZ}) and Ambience (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) ran second and third to Jameka in October's Oaks and both reoppose Saturday, having run fourth and fifth in their last start in the G3 Keith Nolan Classic on Mar. 11.
Ahead of them that day when finishing a close-up third was Godolphin challenger Asinara (Aus), a lightly raced but progressive individual who will be bidding to give her sire Teofilo (Ire) his third Group 1 strike of the year.
Last year's winning jockey Blake Shinn gets the leg-up on Happy Hannah (Aus) (More Than Ready), who comes into the race on the back of three solid wins, albeit in lesser company, and will be given plenty of respect on her first black-type start.
The Robert Smerdon trainee Chabaud (NZ) (Lookin At Lucky) hopped aboard the ferry to Hobart for her most recent victory in the Listed Tasmanian Oaks following a last-to-first win in strong handicap company at Moonee Valley, while Anthony Cummings's representative Believe (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) has also given her supporters plenty of reasons to keep the faith in her three starts to date. Two wins from her first two runs in February shot Believe into the G2 Phar Lap S. on Mar. 12 with strong claims, and she was beaten less than half a length on the line for third after rallying strongly in the straight. This is her first attempt beyond 1500 metres.
Another daughter of Fastnet Rock is Coolmore's Sailing By (Aus), trained by Mick Price, who bounced back from a four-month break to finish second in the G2 Autumn S. at Caulfield on Feb. 13. Down the field in the G1 Australian Guineas since then, she should however, be capable of seeing out this trip, being out of a Galileo (Ire) mare.
Capella (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and Valley Girl (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) are both crossing the Tasman Sea for the first time after traveling strongly to finish fourth and fifth in a bunched finish for the G1 New Zealand Derby on Mar. 5 when just over half a length separated the first five home.
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