Racing: Once Were Wild too fleet of foot for Oaks favourites

SYDNEY - The AJC Australian Oaks was billed as a virtual match race between glamour fillies Faint Perfume and Valdemoro but in the end the group one classic belonged to the Gai Waterhouse-trained Once Were Wild.

Still in her first racing preparation, Once Were Wild showed an explosive turn of foot topping the Randwick rise to quickly put Saturday's 2400m race beyond doubt.

Faint Perfume chased gamely but was no match for the winner, finishing 3 lengths away second, with a further five lengths to Run For Naara in third.

Valdemoro settled last and was never a factor, finishing eighth and 12 lengths from the winner.

Waterhouse and stable jockey Nash Rawiller put a turbulent week behind them to team up and win the Oaks with Once Were Wild.

Rawiller was at the centre of a jockey tug of war between Waterhouse and trainer Chris Waller over who he would ride in the Doncaster Mile, with the case eventually settled in the Supreme Court on Thursday when Rawiller was confirmed for the Waller-trained Rangirangdoo.

But there were no hard feelings between Waterhouse and Rawiller on Saturday and racing's leading lady praised the top-class hoop for his winning Oaks ride.

"Nash rode her a treat, it was a joy to watch," Waterhouse said.

"She's a pretty good filly, this is still her first preparation.

"If you looked at her at the sales you wouldn't buy her - she's got the skinniest legs but she's got a big heart."

Waterhouse took the blinkers off the filly after she set a solid tempo to lead in the Storm Queen Stakes at her final lead-up before battling on well for fifth to Faint Perfume.

She didn't go as hard on Saturday and was strong at the finish.

Rawiller was aboard in both. "We knew from day one this filly would be an Oaks filly," he said on Saturday. We probably outsmarted ourselves last start trying to make it a staying test.

"Today, she got in a lovely rhythm."

Duncan Ramage, representing Faint Perfume's owner Dato Tan Chin Nam, said the VRC Oaks winner was game in defeat.

"She ran a brave race, it was no disgrace. The winner slipped away at the top of the straight and was always going to be hard to run down."

John Thompson, trainer of the third placegetter, shrugged his shoulders and summed his filly's race up in two words, "got beat", while Peter Moody felt fifth placegetter Speedy Natalie didn't back up from her Adrian Knox Stakes win seven days ago.

"Probably the edge was off her from last week and she didn't really appreciate the back-up," Moody said.

Tony Vasil was obviously disappointed with Valdemoro and offered a "no comment" when asked about her performance.

- AAP