One of Victorian racing’s traditional speed tests, the Oakleigh Plate is a Group 1 sprint over 1100 metres at Caulfield, held during the Autumn Racing Carnival on Blue Diamond Stakes Day – one of the premier days on the racing calendar. The meeting also features the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes as well as the Group 1 Futurity Stakes. Total prizemoney for the Oakleigh Plate is $750,000.
Oakleigh Plate 2022: Trevor Lawson’s Preview
Speed: There’s always plenty of speed on here, of course. Marabi and Jonker will lead from Malkovich and Oxley Road. Marabi really should be able to dictate.
Prices courtesy of TopSport at time of publication.
WILD RULER [$10] resumes here and runs well fresh. He certainly has some chance but looks well found by the market.
ZOUTORI [$26] resumes here too, and also goes well fresh. He’ll get well back here however. Rough chance.
JONKER [$18] first-up and took a few runs to peak last prep. He has a rough chance here.
BELLA NIPOTINA [$15] is a totally different mare since going to Maher and Eustace. She runs well fresh and has a chance here.
MARABI [$2.70] is the unbeaten mare that’s flying. She maps to find the front here and is certainly the one they all have to beat.
🍎🌽 | Fruit for breakfast, vegie soup for dinner.
The tough diet jockey Ben Allen has followed to ride Oakleigh Plate favourite Marabi: https://t.co/2b1qw8ad0F@bennallen44 @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/6iqfTPo453
— News Racing (@superracing) February 23, 2022
OXLEY ROAD [$11] ran well first-up. He’s a consistent horse that maps to roll forward here. Has a chance at odds.
AWAY GAME [$8.50] is an honest mare who returns consistent figures, but she does seem to find it tough to win. Just a rough chance.
MALKOVICH [$20] will race on the pace here and drops a lot in weight on recent runs. Rough chance.
MINHAAJ [$7] is undefeated in two starts for her new stable. She won impressively down the straight in spring in the Group 3 Begonia Bell. She has a chance here first-up with a good run on the map.
STREETCAR STRANGER [$41] is racing well and won his last start over 1000 metres. He’s drawn wide here however, and it’s hard to see him winning a Group 1 over 1100 metres.
Champion @RacingSA jockey Paul Gatt is coming across the border next week for the Oakleigh Plate after accepting the ride on Streetcar Stranger 🙌
@DJollyRacing pic.twitter.com/kObz1DaUbP— Racing.com (@Racing) February 19, 2022
INGRATIATING [$21] ran okay first-up and gets the blinkers on for the first time here. He maps to get back and would need a lot of speed on to get into the race.
GENERAL BEAU [$20] raced well last prep, but is first-up here and gets the apprentice jockey on.
POLAND [$31] is outclassed here.
Verdict This is generally a wide-open race, but that’s not the case this year! The market has the unbeaten Marabi well on top and I can’t disagree at all. She’s flying and Allen should be able to find the front. They’ll struggle to catch her.
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