KEY POINTS:
Two class fillies are poised to provide New Zealand with perhaps it's finest day of the Queensland winter carnival on Saturday.
Eskimo Queen will give the A$400,000 ($450,000) Queensland Oaks a massive shake at Eagle Farm and emerging juvenile talent Diamond Deck takes on the Australian 2-year-olds in the A$250,000 Sires Produce Stakes.
Even Australian punters are keen to get on Eskimo Queen on Saturday after the Matamata filly's flashing finish into a close third in the 2020m Doomben Roses two weeks ago.
Eskimo Queen looked to be in an impossible position at the back of the field and wide around the home bend and her drive to the line was a perfect trial for the Oaks.
She has at least two factors in her favour this time. She looked a little cramped around the tight Doomben circuit and the step out to 2400m around Eagle Farm should be perfect.
The Diamond Deck camp of trainer Robert Priscott, Queensland owner Dick Karreman and manager Rick Williams have got the moment they have waited for - to get the filly up to a distance beyond 1200m. The 1400m of the Sires Produce will be ideal.
Diamond Deck showed when narrowly beaten on debut at Avondale that she takes a few strides before she is able to find her true acceleration and against Australian juveniles that can prove extremely costly. That was the case when she motored home late into third behind Keiki and Key Bar Nights in the 1200m Champagne Classic at Doomben two weeks ago.
