Queensland Oaks Day at Eagle Farm brought with it the elegance, endurance, and emotion that define Stradbroke Season. In this week’s edition of Shep’s Brisbane Breakdown, we look back on a day where the spotlight shone on the staying fillies, with two other Group 1 contests adding even more depth to a truly memorable card that encapsulated ‘Super Saturday’.
In the feature event, the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, it was You Wahng who emerged from the pack with a perfectly timed run under Tommy Berry. The Kris Lees-trained filly showed class and composure to weave through traffic and claim her maiden Group 1 in style.
But the drama didn’t end there.
Earlier in the day, the Group 1 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby delivered one of the great upsets of the carnival. Maison Louis, a $21 outsider trained by John O’Shea & Tom Charlton, stormed home from midfield to edge out stablemate King Of Thunder in a thrilling finish. A true Derby fairytale.
And for the sprinters, the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup was a showcase of speed and timing with Joliestar arriving in the final bound from an impossible position.
From staying stars to sprinting sensations, Queensland Oaks Day 2025 had it all: big finishes, bold rides, and breakout performances.
Let’s unpack the key moments, the horses to follow, and everything that made this one of the most compelling days of Stradbroke Season.
You Wahng Powers Home to Win 2025 Queensland Oaks
In one of the most dramatic finishes of Stradbroke Season to date, You Wahng delivered a breathtaking late burst to claim the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm on Saturday, etching her name into the history books and giving trainer Kris Lees his third win in the race.
Ridden with supreme patience and precision by Tommy Berry, the daughter of So You Think was buried in traffic turning for home, with seemingly no clear path to victory.
But as the field fanned wide at the top of the straight, Berry coolly bided his time before slicing through a narrow seam at the 200-metre mark.
Once in the clear, You Wahng let down powerfully, going toe-to-toe with Godolphin’s Pinito before scoring by a neck in a thrilling finish.
Lees paid credit to Berry for his ride and the addition of a key piece of gear.
“It was a lovely ride from Tommy,” Lees said.
“He was able to get her straight across from the gate to get a lovely position in running.
“He had a lot of horse coming to the corner, but I was always just a little guarded about that last furlong when she presented, but she was able to find under pressure.
“She ran really well in the AJC Oaks and then she was very plain at Gosford when we just give her a fresh run.
“We applied a tongue tie, and it’s really worked out well.
“She probably got to them a bit early in The Roses, so Tommy was adamant we just needed to hold her up for a furlong sprint and he produced at the right time today.”
It was a special moment for Berry to deliver a Group 1 to Lees that had been in the planning for several months.
“It’s lovely and good to do it for Kris,” Berry said.
“I’m not his full-time rider by any means, but we always have had a great relationship and I’ve ridden for him on and off over the past.
“I remember him saying that he wanted me to ride this filly in the Kembla Grange Classic over a mile because he thought she had something and was his Oaks filly.
“She just felt so much more relaxed today (Saturday), she was just ready to go.
“So it’s a brilliant training performance.
“I learned my lesson last start.
“I got there too early so I really timed my run today, and luckily, she’s only half a horse wide, because she could take them sticky, little tight runs.
“But that was just unbelievable. It’s awesome to do it.”
You Wahng will now head to the paddock for a well-deserved spell before returning in the Spring Carnival.
Joliestar Comes From The Clouds In Kingsford Smith Cup Win
A thrilling finish to the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm saw Joliestar deliver a breathtaking late surge to secure her third Group 1 victory and reaffirm her status as one of the country’s premier sprinting mares.
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, the daughter of Zoustar was sent out a well-backed favourite and settled in the second half of the field.
With the leaders setting a strong tempo and kicking clear at the top of the straight, it looked as though Joliestar had too much ground to make up.
But in a display of sheer determination and class, she launched down the centre of the track, nailing the Tony Gollan-trained Zarastro in the final stride, to deny a fairytale for the locals.
McDonald was shocked to snatch the win from the jaws of defeat.
“She made me look really well, because there was not one stage I thought she was going to win the race,” McDonald said.
“Then she put in this humongous dive with two strides to go and I thought, ‘Oh, I’m a little chance here’ and I looked up and saw the camera on me – she’s a super mare.
“I hit a flat spot just as the pace quickened, so the margin from first to where I was just exacerbated so greatly, so quick.
“I thought, oh no, but she’s all class.”
Waller, who labelled his star mare ‘The Queen of Queensland’ following the win wasn’t so sure about her chances in the run.
“It’s been hard to run the leaders down today (Saturday),” Walller explained.
“We discussed pre-race that we can’t change our racing pattern but in saying that, it was a lovely ride from James.
“He went straight across from the barriers and got in front of Giga Kick and one or two others, and that was probably the winning of the race.
“She was off the bridle at the 500 but to her class, she just kept coming.”
With another Group 1 to her name, connections will likely opt to send Joliestar for a break and bring her back for another tilt at the Group 1 The Everest after luck didn’t go her way last year.
Joliestar is considered a $11 chance behind favourite Ka Ying Rising in the October $20 million slot race.
Derby Delight for O’Shea and Charlton as Maison Louis Lands Group 1 Glory
In one of the most unexpected results of Stradbroke Season, Maison Louis delivered a stunning performance to capture the Group 1 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm, leaving punters and pundits alike in disbelief.
Trained by John O’Shea & Tom Charlton and ridden to perfection by Ryan Maloney, the three-year-old gelding entered the race as a $21 outsider, having never won beyond Benchmark 64 grade.
But on the biggest stage, he rose to the occasion in emphatic style, storming home from midfield to edge out stablemate King Of Thunder in a thrilling finish.
Maloney is no stranger to causing upsets having won last year’s Queensland Oaks aboard $101 shot, Socks Nation.
Amazingly, if the Derby was run last week as scheduled Maloney would not have been Maison Louis’ rider but with Ben Melham able to ride on Saturday, the jockey nicknamed ‘Pug’ picked up the ride.
“It was a very dawdling run Derby,” Maloney said.
“When ‘J-Mac’ made his move at the half mile, it increased the tempo, it was a big help.
“I wanted to be three back the fence, so I had two options when I started to make my stake my claim.
“I was given the opportunity to come out and ambled up on the back of Waller’s horse who won the Rough Habit.
“When he got the gap, he pinned his ears back and was just tough as nails.
“Last week my Derby emergency got a run but this week I didn’t have one, and luckily I picked this ride up.
“It’s amazing what a week in racing can do.”
While former Victorian Maloney has adopted Queensland as his home state, O’Shea is a proud born and bred maroon and was pleased to deliver a Group 1 for the Sunshine State.
“I’m a proud Queenslander, not just a Queenslander,” O’Shea said.
“He’s just been a progressive horse by a top young stallion in Super Seth.
“He’s a tough, resilient little horse and he’s come from obscurity to win a Queensland Derby.
“I think the key is that he was able to cope with the workload.
“He’s just a great doer and a good, tough horse.”
The stable will celebrate the 2025 Queensland Derby for some time given their more fancied runner, King Of Thunder finished second.
The quinella paid $92 with Ladbrokes.
Transatlantic Launches Late Bid for Stradbroke After Spear Chief Win
Transatlantic delivered a commanding performance at Eagle Farm on Queensland Oaks Day, taking out the Listed Spear Chief Handicap in style and stamping himself as a genuine contender next Saturday’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
Trained by Tony Gollan and ridden confidently by Ryan Maloney, the four-year-old gelding settled handy before peeling wide on the turn and letting down with a powerful sprint to put the race beyond doubt.
The son of Snitzel had been building toward a performance like this, and on Saturday, he delivered with authority.
Maloney was full of praise for the gelding’s effort.
“He needs things to go his own way, which he certainly got today,” Maloney said.
“When he gets his fitness up with a few runs under his belt, and he’s able to dictate, he always does what he has to do in the end.
“Tommy (Berry) looked to probably have me beat at one stage, but soon as I asked him for an effort, he put it away quite quickly.”
The victory was Transatlantic’s first at stakes level and came at the perfect time, with connections now eyeing a potential tilt at the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
His versatility and strong finishing burst make him a compelling wildcard for Queensland’s premier sprint-mile feature.
Prior to his Spear Chief Handicap win, Transatlantic’s 99 rating saw him sit at position 35 on the order of entry for the Stradbroke Handicap.
Trainers can sometimes complain about the rating the handicapper gives their horse following a win, but Gollan probably won’t mind a decent nudge from the Racing Queensland brains trust if it means his horse makes the final field.
“I’ll live up to the handicappers what they want to do with him, with his rating after today,” Gollan said.
“I knew coming here to this race, I’ve always had the Stradbroke in the back of my mind, but this was a low percentage play, I guess, to try and get him into it.
“I wanted to see him back winning.
“I thought off his run the other day in the 1350m around Doomben he was wanting this sort of 1500m race at Eagle farm.”
“He just traveled like a winner a long way out with Ryan putting him into a good position.
“The subtle gear change with the winkers, they just had him focused a touch better.
“If the handicapper and the attrition rate all marry up and work together, he’ll definitely be there.”
Ladbrokes traders wound Transatlantic into $15 for the Stradbroke Handicap.
Sunrays Ends Juvenile Campaign on a High in Show A Heart Stakes
Promising filly Sunrays capped off her juvenile season in style with a commanding win in the Listed Show A Heart at Eagle Farm, confirming her status as one of Queensland’s most exciting two-year-olds.
Trained by Kelly Schweida and ridden by Tommy Berry, the daughter of Hellbent jumped cleanly and settled just behind the speed before peeling out at the top of the straight.
From there, she let down with a sharp turn of foot, quickly putting the race to bed and cruising to a comfortable victory.
Sunrays has had an amazing first preparation with five wins from six starts, including two at black-type level.
The astute Schweida was vindicated by not sending her around in next Saturday’s Group 1 Ladbrokes JJ Atkins.
“It was great to see her win,” Schweida said.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a jockey more confident than Tommy (Berry).
“He was pretty adamant she’d be hard to beat.
“But she had to tick the 1500m box and tick the eagle farm box.
“She’s just so tough.
“We elected not to go to the Group One next week at the mile, because she’s done all this really off her first prep.
“She’s done a super job.”
Tommy Berry appreciates that he was fortunate to pick the ride up from Cejay Graham in the Ken Russell Memorial and rates the filly very highly.
“I was very lucky to pick her up when I did, and obviously Cejay did a really good job on her before I picked up the reins,” Berry said.
“Cejay gave me a really good insight into what she was like to ride and so that made things easy.
She’s just a lovely, progressive filly and I think the best is yet to come next preparation.
“You look at her frame and she hasn’t filled out yet.
“She’s still a little bit narrow, and today she had to dig deep for that win.
“She didn’t feel as explosive as she was a couple of weeks ago so I don’t think we’ve seen her best today.
“I think she’s probably on the way down right now, but very exciting to see what she can do over the spring and looking forward to them bringing her to Sydney.”
While no plans are in place besides a good break, a race like the Group 1 Golden Rose over 1400m during the Sydney Spring Carnival could be a suitable target.
Cejay Graham may have missed out on a Stakes win with Sunrays, but she was happy to be compensated with a return to the winner’s stall with one of her favourite horses from the Schweida stable.
Returning from a ten-month spell, Vodka Martini delivered a sparkling first-up performance to claim the Listed Lightning Handicap, giving Graham a memorable win on Queensland Oaks Day.
Sent out at $19, the stunning chestnut gelding showed brilliant gate speed to take up a prominent position early before peeling off the fence and surging to the front in the final 200m.
Despite a late challenge from Austmarr, Vodka Martini held on gamely to win by a short head, with stablemate Metalart finishing a close third.
The win was particularly special for Graham, who has been closely involved with Vodka Martini throughout his career.
“It’s such a thrill,” Graham said.
“This is one of the horses that probably started things off for me here in Brisbane when I first moved up.
“To get back on him is unreal, and I have to take track work bragging rights.
“There’s not many horses that I sort of start off on and then stick through all the way through their preparation.”
With improvement to come and options aplenty, Schweida hinted that the gelding could be aimed at further black-type targets in the coming weeks.
For now, though, connections can toast a perfectly executed return.
Front Page Delivers Breaking News in Moreton Cup
Proving that class and toughness never go out of style, seasoned sprinter Front Page delivered a bold front-running performance to win the Group 2 Moreton Cup, securing a golden ticket into next Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap.
Trained by Matthew Dale and ridden by Tim Clark, the eight-year-old gelding jumped cleanly to settle second.
Front Page let down powerfully to run down Hidden Wealth and claim his first win since the 2023 Kosciuszko.
Dale was ecstatic with his stable headliner bouncing back to form after a disappointing Quokka tilt in April.
“He’s an absolute beauty,” Dale said.
“We came up here wrapped with how the horse was and last week, we were a bit deflated seeing the races called off on a heavy 10.
“But it dried out all week, even though the track was a little bit choppy.
“I could see at the top of the straight, I thought we’re in trouble, but he got really down and dirty and toughed it out.
“I didn’t think he looked as comfortable as he is on a good surface, but Timmy knows him really well.
“He’d done a great job there just sitting off Hidden Wealth and the horse really dug deep, and he had to.”
With the Stradbroke now firmly on the radar, connections will weigh up whether to back him up in seven days’ time or send him to the paddock for a freshen-up.