The Group 1 Queensland Oaks was first run in 1951 and since then there have been many memorable wins.
The race, particularly in recent times, has also unearthed some amazing talent. We only have to look back to 2015 and Winx as proof of that.
With the 2024 edition of the race to be run this Saturday at Eagle Farm, we’ve taken a look back at some of the victories that captured the racing public’s attention.
2019 – Winning Ways
Winning Ways victory in the 2019 Queensland Oaks produced some of the most emotional scenes that have been witnessed at a racetrack.
The daughter of Declaration Of War was owned by Paul Makin who passed away a week before the race was run.
Jockey Matthew McGillivray produced a peach of a ride to claim his first and only Group 1 victory, McGillivray pressed forward early from an awkward gate to take up a position on the fence.
He got his filly going at the 600m and swept up to join the leaders four-deep as they entered the straight. Winning Ways held on to beat the fast-finishing Dawson Diva and Lady Cuvee.
We hear talk of the Racing Gods often but in this case, they delivered an emotionally charged and well-deserved Group 1 title to trainer Garry Newham and Matthew McGillivray.
2014 – Tinto
Tinto’s win in the 2014 Queensland Oaks is one that Queensland fans will remember fondly for several reasons.
Prior to the Toowoomba galloper winning, the race had been dominated by interstate and New Zealand fillies but Tinto changed that.
While a long drought was broken for the locals, the victory holds more significance and sentiment as it was the first and only Group 1 title talented jockey Tim Bell won.
Bell was a much-loved member of the Queensland racing fraternity and had the world at his feet, but tragically passed away at just 22 the following year after a saluting in the Oaks.
Bell rode the Rex Lipped-trained Tinto with a hairline fracture in his left wrist but that didn’t prevent him putting on an amazing display in the saddle.
Tinto settled in a beautiful position in the run, Bell got his filly clear air at the 400m and she proceeded to charge home.
With 100m to go, she extended her lead to put race favourite Arabian Gold away to win by 1.5 lengths.
It was a massive day for Bell who rode a black-type feature treble, also winning the Queensland Guineas on Sir Moments and the QTC Cup with Sacred Star.
No doubt the cheeky hoop will be in the thoughts of many this Saturday on the 10th anniversary of his amazing Oaks win.
2022 – Gypsy Goddess
Just as Tinto was a popular Queensland Oaks win for the locals, so too was Gypsy Goddess claiming the feature in 2022.
The David Vandyke-trained filly had a hard road to her maiden Group 1 title. After producing a booming finish in a Sunshine Coast maiden on debut as a $26 chance, she would win her next four starts which included the Grand Prix Stakes. That catapulted her into calculations as a serious Queensland Oaks contender.
She was then sent to Sydney on an Australian Oaks campaign that resulted in a second-place finish. However, the heavy tracks took their toll and could have very well ended her chance of even competing in the Queensland Oaks but as Vandyke often pointed out, Gypsy Goddess is no regular horse.
The daughter of Tarzino was dealt a savage blow when she drew barrier 22 of 22 in the Queensland Oaks. However, it mattered little as William Pike found a position on the fence near the back of the field. With a lapful of horse under him, ‘The Wizard of the West’ set off around the field with 600m to go. She let down beautifully in the straight to win impressively by a length.
Gypsy Goddess looked destined to be one of the next Queensland stars of the track, but a breathing issue in early 2023 would see her retired and sent to Japan to be a broodmare.
1991 – Triscay
The Jack Denham-trained Triscay had an amazing career, particularly as a three-year-old.
Prior to coming to Queensland for the 1991 Queensland Oaks, the daughter of Marscay had won the Australian Guineas at Flemington and the AJC Oaks both at Group 1 level.
With regular jockey and Queensland legend Mick Dittman in the saddle, Triscay was sent out as a 2/1 favourite.
She found the front in the straight and dashed clear in the concluding stages to justify her short quote.
Triscay’s Queensland Oaks victory was her fifth and final Group 1 victory.
2001 – Ethereal
New Zealand filly Ethereal’s win in the 2001 Queensland Oaks was one for the ages! The Sheila Laxon-trained daughter of Rhythm produced a finish that seeing was believing.
Ridden by local jockey Scott Seamer, Ethereal started $9 despite winning the Doomben Roses the start prior.
She settled back and was still nine-lengths off the lead with 200m to go. In the final stages Ethereal exploded to pick off Gai Waterhouse pair, Tempest Morn and Altiero.
Ethereal would return to Australia later in the year and claim the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double.
Laxon who now trains in partnership with John Symons on the Sunshine Coast, was the first female trainer to win the Cups double.
2016 – Provocative
Another New Zealand filly to have success in the Queensland Oaks was Provocative and the Tony Pike-trained daughter of Zabeel had an interesting time just trying to get into the race.
Pike believed he had the filly to win the race, but a lack of prize money earned placed her a long way down the order of entry.
That saw Provocative racing at an Ipswich midweek meeting a month prior to the Oaks, despite winning that, it was only enough to place her as the first emergency in the Group 1 feature.
Beluga Blue was scratched from the race which opened up a spot for Provocative who carried saddlecloth 19.
With Leith Innes in the saddle, Provocative settled towards the back but enjoyed a beautiful tow into the race.
She was trotting at the 600m and quickly loomed into contention entering the straight before the Kiwi took the lead with 200m to go and extended to win by three-lengths.
The Queensland Oaks win capped a big day for Pike who had earlier won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins with Sacred Elixir.
2018 – Youngstar
Youngstar triumphed in the 2018 Queensland Oaks that saw a thrilling three-way finish.
The Chris Waller-trained filly enjoyed a meteoric rise from a maiden to Group 1 winner.
Over the course of just over a month, Youngstar won a maiden at Hawkesbury, a BM68 at Newcastle, Group 2 The Roses and then the Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
She did it the hard way just to get into the race and that carried over into the main event.
Kerrin McEvoy, who won the Oaks the previous year with Egg Tart, enjoyed a good run early but was soon shuffled out to be three and four wide.
McEvoy got on the back of Aloisia but was then left without cover at the 700m mark, Youngstar was then bumped on the corner but to her credit she picked herself up and found plenty to win narrowly.
The win kept Waller’s perfect Queensland Oaks record at Doomben intact following Winx and Egg Tart’s previous wins at the course.
2015 – Winx
The mighty mare Winx set a world record of 25 Group 1 races in a row and that winning run started in the 2015 Queensland Oaks.
Winx returned to form with a win in the Sunshine Coast Guineas two weeks prior to the Oaks, Despite that impressive victory, she was sent out a $1.95 favourite, a price that punters would soon come to realise was a luxury.
Jockey Hugh Bowman settled towards the back of the field before taking off with 600m to go, Winx possessed a devastating turn of foot and that was delivered in all its glory.
The daughter of Street Cry stormed home, putting the field away with 200m to go.
The final margin was 3.5 lengths, but it could have been a lot further with Bowman easing her down in the closing stages.
The win would be the last time Winx would be seen in Queensland, but the explosive nature of her victory would ensure her memory is at the forefront every year the Queensland Oaks comes around.