Racing
Ladbrokes Blog: 2025 Queensland Oaks Day Preview
The stage is set for a blockbuster Saturday at Eagle Farm as Stradbroke Season hits full stride with a stacked card of elite-level Queensland Oaks Day action.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
Punters and racing fans are in for a treat with three Group 1 features headlining the day: the Queensland Oaks, the Kingsford Smith Cup, and the Queensland Derby with each promising high drama and thrilling finishes.
The supporting cast is just as strong, with the Moreton Cup, Queensland Day Stakes, and Helen Coughlan Stakes adding depth to a ten-race program brimming with that much talent that it has been dubbed 'Super Saturday'.
With Stradbroke Handicap hopefuls sharpening their blades and rising stars looking to stamp their class, this meeting is a pivotal moment in the carnival. Whether you're chasing value or cheering on the favourites, there's something for every racing fan this weekend.
Ready to back a few winners? Here are my top tips for every race on the Queensland Oaks Day card.
Race 1 - 11:08am: LISTED SHOW A HEART (1500 METRES)
Sunrays (13) tasted defeat for the only time in her five-start career at the hands of the talented Beadman in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic two starts ago.
While the Kelly Schweida-trained Hellbent filly was beaten by 8.25 lengths, she did find the line well which suggested she could bounce back last start in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes.
And bounce back she did, charging home at the end of the 1350m contest to win arrogantly by two-lengths.
Tommy Berry is again in the irons and should give her a beautiful run from barrier 3.
2 Units – Sunrays (13)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 1
Race 2 - 11:43am: LISTED LADBROKES LIGHTNING HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
Steady Ready (1) won the Listed Ladbrokes Lightning Handicap last year and returns looking to retain his crown, albeit with an extra 7kg.
The Tony & Maddy Sears-trained speedster loves this course and distance having won three of seven starts with two minor placings and is the track record holder.
Cody Collis has built a great relationship with the horse having won all three rides on him which includes twice over this course and distance and the King of the Mountain last start.
He races well fresh and should enjoy a great run on speed.
1 Unit – Steady Ready (1)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 2
Race 3 - 12:18pm: MAGIC MILLIONS NATIONAL CLASSIC (1600 METRES)
Pulchritudinous (2) surprised nearly everyone besides the stable and a few astute judges when she returned to the winner's stall last start in the Group 3 Magic Millions Mile.
The Waterhouse & Bott-trained mare with the hard to pronounce name came to Australia last year with a big reputation after winning the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.
Unfortunately, it's taken more than a year for her to acclimatise but given the way she found the line despite racing three-wide the trip to win last start, she's back to her very best.
Given she was seven weeks between runs, she'll strip fitter here and she should enjoy a nice run for Tim Clark.
1 Unit – Pulchritudinous (2)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 3
Race 4 - 12:53pm: GROUP 2 MORETON CUP (1200 METRES)
A Little Deep (13) has been freshened since producing a bold performance after racing outside the lead to finish 1.1 lengths fourth in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Deep Field mare returned in good order the start prior when storming home to win over 1100m at Flemington.
Maher will have kept her up to the mark over the past six weeks and she has won previously when third-up.
Craig Williams takes the ride with just 53.5kg and should be able to settle just off what looks a strong speed.
1 Unit – A Little Deep (13)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 4
Race 5 - 1:28pm: LISTED QUEENSLAND DAY STAKES (1200 METRES)
Coleman (1) hasn't won for 69 weeks but gets his best chance for some time to break through in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes.
The Chris Waller-trained gelding got too far back over this course and distance but worked home well when resuming in the Group 2 Victory Stakes.
He then was then found to be lame in his near foreleg so can be forgiven for finishing near the tail in the Group 3 BRC Sprint last start.
He's incredibly well weighted under the set weight conditions of the race and will strip fitter third-up.
Kerrin McEvoy can settle closer from barrier 1 and give him every chance.
It's D-Day for Coleman!
1 Unit Each Way – Coleman (1)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 5
Race 6 - 2:03pm: LISTED SPEAR CHIEF HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
Rising Pacific (12) has been in amazing form this preparation with four wins from his past five starts.
Tony Gollan has found that a dry track is the key to the five-year-old gelding performing at his best and he will get that here.
He's proven to be an adaptable horse, winning over 1400m right up to 1835m last start here so I don't mind him dropping back to 1500m with freshness in his legs five weeks between runs.
He's drawn to do no work for Andrew Mallyon.
1 Unit Each Way – Rising Pacific (12)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 6
Race 7 - 2:38pm: GROUP 1 KINGSFORD SMITH CUP (1300 METRES)
Joliestar (10) returns to the races for the first time since finishing second to Jimmysstar in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes.
The Chris Waller-trained mare produced an excellent effort that day, running on strongly to get within a half-length of the winner and easily defeating the likes of Sunshine In Paris and Benedetta who she meets here.
She races well fresh, having won three from five first-up races with the other two resulting in placings.
If James McDonald can find some cover from the potentially tricky gate, then she should prove hard to hold out.
I'll also be having an each way bet on Payline (6) who was enormous charging home for a half-length third last start in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 after recording the quickest final 600m of the day when finishing eighth first-up in the Victory Stakes.
2 Units – Joliestar (10)
1 Unit Each Way – Payline (6)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 7
Race 8 - 3:13pm: GROUP 1 QUEENSLAND OAKS (2200 METRES)
Benagil (1) was disappointing on face value last start in the Group 2 Roses when finishing 6.9 lengths tenth but I'm sticking fat given she never got clue air in the straight to get a decent crack at them.
It must also be remembered that the Glen Thompson-trained filly travelled north for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, not The Roses and that she was four weeks between runs.
Prior to that, she chased home Australia's premier staying three-year-old Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes to finish 1.3 lengths second and two starts ago she came from near the tail in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks with a devastating turn of foot to win comfortably.
She brings the A1 form and should enjoy the bigger Eagle Farm track.
Mark Zahra can give her an economical run from barrier 5.
2 Units – Benagil (1)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 8
Race 9 - 3:52pm: GROUP 1 LADBROKES QUEENSLAND DERBY (2400 METRES)
Party Crasher (13) arrives from South Australia for the Group 1 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby in excellent form.
The son of Ocean Park is only lightly raced, having won three of five starts and looks to have plenty of upside.
He enjoyed the rise from 1400m to 2009m at Morphettville two starts ago when proving too strong in a 1.5 length win.
However, it was his last start performance over 2250m at Morphettville where he put them away easily despite not a lot going right that stamped his Derby credentials.
Craig Williams is a key booking and he should give him an economical run from the inside barrier.
1 Unit Each Way – Party Crasher (13)
BET NOW: Eagle Farm Race 9
Race 10 - 4:28pm: LISTED HELEN COUGHLAN STAKES (1200 METRES)
Zaszou (14) will appreciate the Listed Helen Coughland Stakes being run this Saturday on a dry track as she doesn't go a lick in the wet.
The Phillip Stokes-trained mare arrives from Melbourne off an eight-week break and races well fresh having won once and finished in the placings twice from three first-up races.
She kicked off last preparation with a super effort over 1100m at Flemington where she went within a head of defeating A Little Deep despite being in the worst going.
Last start she settled a long way back in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at Randwick but charged home to finish 1.5 lengths sixth which proves she's being undersold at this level.
Ethan Brown can settle off what looks a strong speed before launching in the straight.
Zaszou winning at a huge price would be a great way to end Queensland Oaks Day!
1 Unit Each Way – Zaszou (14)
