Four Consecutive Australian Oaks Wins for Karaka Graduates

Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) stormed home for an impressive win in Saturday’s A$1 million Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick, becoming the fourth consecutive Karaka graduate to win Sydney’s prestigious fillies’ classic.

The sequence began with Gust of Wind (NZ) (Darci Brahma), a $90,000 Premier Sale purchase who beat the soon-to-be superstar Winx (Street Cry) to win the race in 2015.

The $65,000 Select Sale buy Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) followed in 2016, then Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) last year. Bought for $150,000 at the 2015 Premier Sale, Bonneval was crowned New Zealand’s Horse of the Year for 2016-17.

Champion expat New Zealand trainer Chris Waller recruited Unforgotten for $360,000 at the 2016 Premier Sale, and the filly was quick to show promise with four wins from her first seven starts including the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) in mid-March.

In her final Oaks lead-up, she ran second to Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral) in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) on March 31.

The same two fillies filled the first two positions in the Oaks, but this time the tables were turned.

Hiyaam adopted the same front-running tactics that paved the way to Group 1 glory in the Vinery, but the extra 400 metres of the Oaks played into Unforgotten’s hands. With Hugh Bowman in the saddle, she swept past Hiyaam in the straight and scored by a length.

“I was always confident,” said Bowman, whose previous Oaks winners include Kiwi-breds Bonneval, Sofia Rosa and Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed).

“I worked her on Tuesday morning, so I knew what she was capable of. I knew from the 400 metres that I had Hiyaam covered. I wasn't to know what was coming from behind me, but it would have been a monumental effort to come from behind and run me down because she was superb the last 500 metres.”

Unforgotten was bred by Roncon and was offered by Curraghmore at the 2016 Premier Sale.

Raced by Waller, Magic Bloodstock Racing, Mr F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, Mr N A Greenhalgh, Mrs M T Greenhalgh, Mr R Shrimpton, Mrs C Shrimpton, Mr I Bruce, Mr R Smith, Mr P Y W Ng, Mr K H Warriner, Mr J T C Lake and Mr B L Mathieson, Unforgotten has now won five of her nine starts for A$1,095,520 in prize-money.

Runner-up Hiyaam has earned A$667,740 with two wins and five placings from her nine appearances.