KEY POINTS:
MELBOURNE - Star filly Miss Finland will take her place in Thursday's VRC Oaks after passing a crucial track gallop at Flemington on Saturday with flying colours.
With race jockey Craig Williams in the saddle, the Golden Slipper winner worked with a stablemate and trainer David Hayes saw enough positives to declare the Oaks in his sights.
"She was slightly keen because she'd had an easy time since the Cox Plate and she will need a bit more work on Tuesday, but I think it's full steam ahead," Hayes said. "If there were any queries I wouldn't be running her."
The filly was a luckless sixth when ridden by New Zealand jockey Lisa Cropp in the Cox Plate won by 9-year-old Fields Of Omagh.
Miss Finland will be chasing a history-making treble in the Oaks.
She is already the Golden Slipper and Thousand Guineas winner and no horse has won those two group ones and Thursday's 2500m classic in the same year.
Confirmation Miss Finland will line up in the Oaks has set up an enticing clash with Saturday's impressive Wakeful Stakes winner, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Tuesday Joy.
The latter firmed into $2.50 favourite with TAB Sportsbet following the victory with Miss Finland at $2.70.
Hayes rated Tuesday Joy's win highly but warned Miss Finland's biggest danger could be in the form of stablemate Sefrah.
- AAP
