"But the Derby has fallen away a bit and she is now the second favourite for it, even though we have made it pretty clear to people that it would only be an afterthought.
"That suggests she has to be some sort of chance in the race providing she comes through the Oaks well."
Ritchie says one reason he and Artistic's manager Rick Williams are taking the Derby option more seriously is because of the lack of opportunities for the same stakes next season.
"The Derby is a A$500,000 race and how many of those can she win next season?
"We don't have any $500,000 races for her in New Zealand in the spring and then you have to say if she went to Melbourne to race for that sort of money you could end up taking on Atlantic Jewel.
"When you take all that into account a race like the Derby starts to become pretty tempting.
"Then she could come home and be set for a campaign starting around Christmas, with a race like the Zabeel Classic ideal for her."
While Artistic is already worth a fortune as a broodmare, Ritchie says there has been no talk of retiring her to stud at the end of this campaign.
"She still has the potential to win good money and weight-for-age form would also be precious at stud."
In the more immediate future though, Ritchie says he couldn't be happier with how the filly's extended campaign is going.
"I have said all along it was going to be tricky peaking her for another Oaks after the big season she had back home but really it couldn't have gone better.
"She was a good fourth fresh-up here and then her second in the Doomben Roses last Saturday was almost perfect.
"I went into the race thinking she would be a length below her best and she raced like that, too, but finished second without having to hurt herself and I think she will be spot on for the Oaks.
"But it is a good, even Oaks field so she will have to be near her peak."
Most Australian bookies have Artistic, who races as Miss Artistic in Australia, as equal favourite for the Oaks, with fellow Kiwi fillies Quintessential and Poste Restante on the third line of betting.
Miss Artistic also shares the second line of favouritism for the Derby, to be run on June 9.
Meanwhile, the John Sargent-trained Choice Bro is third favourite for the feature juvenile race at Doomben on Saturday.
Choice Bro needed his first Australian outing but is rated a $4.80 chance behind Hoss Amor in The Phoenix this weekend in his leadup to the TJ Smith Stakes over 1600m.
CLASSIC DOUBLE
* The chances of Cambridge filly Artistic chasing the classic double in Queensland are improving.
* She is already favourite for the A$400,000 Queensland Oaks on Saturday week.
* But a lack of big-money spring options could see her contest the A$500,000 Queensland Derby on June 9 as well.
* Kiwi juvenile Choice Bro is among the favourites for his feature race at Doomben on Saturday.
