Race Result:

1st: Amokura (Damien Oliver/Kris Lees) - $8
2nd: Reo (Martin Harley/Richard Laming) - $101
3rd: Noah 'N' A Deel (Sean Cormack/Les Kelly) - $21

Winning Time: 2:17.40 Last 600m: 37.05

Margins: 1-½ L x 2-¼ L

Amokura reigns supreme in the Queensland Oaks! @Leesracing wins his second Queensland Oaks, while Damien Oliver scores his 128th Group 1 victory. pic.twitter.com/9U5IhnPO0e

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2023

 

Winning Trainer: Kris Lees

Amokura's progression: "They can come from nowhere. She's always showed us something. It's her first race preparation, so we were always guarded with how far we could go with her but she put the writing on the wall with her win at Newcastle by a big margin, so we brought her up with the view of trying to sneak her in with a bit of prize money. She did that at the Sunshine Coast and snuck into the race. Got Olli (Damien Oliver) to come up and ride and the rest is history."

Slow start: "She probably got further back than we were thinking from the nice draw but she tracked up lovely coming into the corner, it was just a matter of getting some clear air, he still had plenty of horse left. He (Oliver) weaved a passage and got the job done."

When Amokura got earmarked as Lees' Oaks filly: "All along she gave us the impression she'd get over ground, just where her ceiling was we weren't sure, we were running over shorter trips. When she won that race at Newcastle, I said we better start making plans."

Plans for Amokura: "It was her first preparation, so she's going to get a well deserved break. We will reassess her from there."

Winning Jockey: Damien Oliver

Two rides today: "Just a couple, I didn't want to ride too light today. I'm really happy that Kris Lees talked me into coming up for this one. She's a lovely filly."

On the race: "We were in the gates for a fair while from barrier one, so I thought there was a chance we wouldn't muster much speed. The pace was really good so we settled in the back of the field. I just got a beautiful run through and fortunately I was on one good enough to take me through the gaps when they were opening.

On the horse: "She's not only got a good turn-of-foot, she stays well too. When the race is run at that sort of tempo, for a filly that runs a strong distance, that helps.

On her future: "She's in her three-year-old year and going to have to make the transition to (racing against) older horses, but she's got a lot ahead of her having so few starts."

Beaten Jockeys:

John Allen (Affaire A Suivre): "She began awkwardly and just found ourselves in an awkward position. Still thought she ran well."

Josh Parr (Renaissance Woman): N/A

Craig Williams (So Dazzling): "We got into a lovely spot from the barrier draw, she raced really well, a lot better than the other day. When the sprint came on, I didn't have a horse to go and get out. If she does she probably runs third or fourth, but she stayed on really nicely for a 10th. I'm looking forward to seeing what she develops into when she comes back as a four-year-old mare. Again, she's been very effective on wet tracks and she didn't get those conditions today."

Larry Cassidy (Tyresa): "I think she's going to the paddock now. She didn't really want to be there today.

Sean Cormack (Noah 'N' A Deel): "Really happy with her. She had a little bit of a hiccup at the start of

her prep, but it looks like she found a way."

Opie Bosson (Sakura Girl): "She had a beautiful run the whole way, didn't have to spend a penny. She just found one too good for her."

James McDonald (Super Chilled): N/A

Ryan Maloney (Madame Odette): "I don't think she saw the trip out."

James Orman (Let Me Reign): "They kept her honest but she weakened out of it. I think she'll be better ridden with a sit."

Ben Thompson (Divine Purpose): "She was awesome. From a good draw we had her on the leader's back. She gave a bit of cheek at the top of the straight but just lacked the sprint of the winners. A good effort, the filly from up north, she's run top-10 in an Oaks, so good job."

Tim Clark (Proscenium Arch): "She got herself a bit worked up pre-race and probably raced like a tired horse."

Michael Murphy (Original Glaze): "I was quite happy with her run. I got into a nice pace and travelled up well. They were probably a little too good for her at the end of her prep."

Michael McNab (Cheval D'or): N/A

Martin Harley (Reo): "Very pleased with her. I sat on her on Tuesday morning and I quietly fancied her all week. I knew she'd stay and she ran a hell of a race. She had a nice cheap run and she went the shortest way around them. What can I say? The winner was just too good for me."

Andrew Mallyon (Yankee Hussel): "Thought she ran well. She just wants to race a bit keenly in her races and she was on one rein for most of it. She'll be a nice staying prospect when she learns to settle."

Rachel King (Caring Lass): "Had to go back from a wide gate but she creditably made good ground late. It was a big step up in class for her."

Jake Bayliss (Fireflies): "We just followed the winner, that was nice but the class lacked."