Australian Oaks Tips & Preview 2024
Queen Of The Turf Stakes Tips & Preview 2024
Looking for Queen Of The Turf Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2024 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick.
QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT
The Queen Of The Turf Stakes is the last of the four Group 1 races on Day 2 of The Championships and it is the Chris Waller-trained Zougotcha that is the $3.50 favourite with Dabble after her win in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) ahead of her stablemate, Atishu, at the $4.80. Tropical Squall ($7) and Olentia ($8.50) are the other two under double figures.
There are 16 contenders in action for the $1 million race for the fillies and mares and Semana is a $11 chance, while Macarena is at $14. Ruthless Dame ($15), Campionessa ($19), Eternal Flame ($23) and Osmose ($23) head the rest of them.
QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES FORM ANALYSIS
Zougotcha is one of five runners that come out of the Coolmore Classic and the others are Semana, who was runner-up that day, as well as Tropical Squall (4th), More Secrets (15th) and Madame Pommery (17th). The winner settled forward of midfield the day before running down Semana late in the piece. She has had two runs this preparation and defeated Lady Laguna in the Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at her start prior to that. Lady Laguna then went on to claim the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) before finishing runner-up in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m).
Zougotcha went 8.5 lengths faster than standard in the Coolmore Classic, which is the second best last start benchmark figure of any runner. Semana produced the fastest 400m-200m split before just peaking on her run late. She was stepping up from the 1200m that day. Tropical Squall is one of four horses aged three in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes and led before sticking on to finish half a length away.
Atishu comes in with the best last start benchmark figures of any runner, having run 3rd in the Australian Cup (2000m) at her most recent start, going 14.7 lengths faster than standard. Only Ruthless Dame has produced a better figure in the past two years when going 15.5 lengths faster than standard with her 8th placing in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m). The Ciaron Maher trained galloper has since run 3rd in the Emancipation Stakes (1500m).
Atishu comes into this fourth up and at the same stage of her last preparation, the six-year-old went 14.4 lengths faster than standard when runner-up behind Pride Of Jenni in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Olentia was a two-length winner in the Emancipation Stakes, going 8.1 lengths faster than standard. She was 4th behind Chain Of Lightning at her start prior to that and the winner from that race has since come out and won the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
A further three runners come out of the Emancipation Stakes and they are Arctic Glamour (2nd), Makarena (4th) and Barbie’s Fox (7th). Of that trio, Makarena might be the one with most improvement to come as she never really saw daylight in the straight but looked to have something to offer.
Campionessa is another luckless last start runner. She was held up at a vital stage in the Sunline Stakes (1600m) when 3rd behind Eternal Flame, who went a healthy 8.5 lengths faster than standard to take out the Moonee Valley Group 2.
Osmose is one of four last start winners in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes and drops from the 1900m after claiming the Epona Stakes at her most recent start, going 6.6 lengths faster than standard. She might need longer than the 1600m. Renaissance Women might also need further but was solid when 7th behind Zougotcha two starts ago before placing 3rd over the 2000m. Tiz Invincible has attracted a bit of support at the quote and was 8th behind Veight in the George Ryder Stakes at her most recent start.
QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS
I am willing to take on Zougotcha and am keen on the class runner in Atishu. She was an acceptor for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes but connections have opted for her to race against her own sex, which could pay dividends. She will find this slightly easier. The slight question mark is the drop back down in distance and she did this once in her career when 3rd in the $2 million Ingham (1600m) back in 2022. She is much better than she was back then and it is worth noting that the daughter of Savabeel produced some excellent figures when fourth up at her last preparation, filling the exacta behind Pride Of Jenni. Others to consider are Tropical Squall, who will lead and give them something to run down. Olentia and Osmose are two that are definitely worth throwing into quaddies, exotics and same race multis.
