Basilinna and Damien Oliver Before the Oaks.
While they were no match for Zardozi in the VRC Oaks, the trainers of the placegetters Aethelflaed and Basillina are looking to the future with their three-year-old fillies.
For the second time in three days at Flemington, Aethelflaed’s trainer Matthew Smith regarded her placing as a bonus, just as he did with True Marvel’s effort to finish eighth in the Melbourne Cup.
Co-trainer of Basillina, David Browne was also proud of his filly and what she had achieved in her first preparation.
The Sydney based Smith, who runs a satellite stable from Pakenham, is looking towards the future with Aethelflaed after she proved she could stay.
“The last 300m sorts them out and she was strong late. It was a really good run,” Smith said,
“She’s a good filly and she chased a good one home and we didn’t quite get the tempo we needed.”
“We’d be happy to take Zardozi on in the autumn on the wet tracks in Sydney as it might be a different story.”
Smith said it was a great result for Aethelflaed’s owners as she was now a Group 1 placegetter and she was a half sister to a New Zealand Derby winner Sherwood King.
Dual Melbourne Cup winning jockey Mark Zahra said it was a huge run.
“Probably the tempo was a bit too slow for her, which let the winner’s turn of foot show as it wasn’t a real staying contest,” Zahra said.
“She chased hard all the way and they flogged the rest. They’ll have a bit of fun in the autumn, for sure.”
The Cranbourne based Browne who trains with his wife Emma-Lee said the most impressive aspect of Basillina’s placing was the way she kept kicking in the closing stages even when she was tired.
“She kept kicking and that’s the sign of a good horse,” Browne said,
“It has been a good spring as I wasn’t expecting that much from her and she’s surprised us.”
Browne said he would spell her for as long as she needed.
Her jockey Damien Oliver said Basillina had a beautiful run and he thought she had a chance in the straight.
“The first two were just a little bit too strong for her over this distance this time. Good effort in her first preparation,” Oliver said.
WATCH: Zardozi win the 2023 VRC Oaks