The Roger James filly Full Of Spirit will be a late entry for the $550,000, Group 1 Patinack Farm ATC Oaks at Randwick on Saturday after connections decide to pay the $15,400 fee due on Tuesday morning.
The late entry fee includes the $3,932.50 final acceptance fee due at 9am on Wednesday.
Full Of Spirit dominated the Group 3 Patinack Farm Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last Saturday striding away under leading New Zealand jockey James McDonald to win with a length in hand over Plumm and Secret Liaison.
The Flying Spur filly, purchased by James for Karaka based Haunui Farm, and Melbourne businessman, and long-time associate of Haunui, Hilton Mackley, was racing for the ninth time and made an impressive step up in class from winning at Awapuni over 1600m at her last start on March 31.
Haunui Farm's General Manager Mark Chitty was delighted with Full of Spirit's first stakes win.
“She is a very tough horse this filly,” Chitty said.
“She has tested every person who has worked with her from breaking her in to pre-training and now in her racing career.
“She won over a mile in the Manawatu on 31 March and the improvement we saw from her in that race was incredible.
“James McDonald rode her that day and was very impressed and full credit to him and Roger James as they convinced us to send her to Sydney to target this race off the back of that performance.
“She has always had the ability, we saw that on debut, but she has taken a few races to learn her trade but she is flying now. We are going to press on to the Group 1 Australian Oaks this weekend.”
Full of Spirit is the 85th stakes winner for her now senior Arrowfield sire Flying Spur, and his sixth this season, and the 90th stakes winner for her broodmare sire Zabeel.
In a remarkable season, Zabeel is also the dam sire of the rising star filly Atlantic Jewel, winner of the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes on Saturday, and current Group 1 winners Silent Achiever, Planet Rock and Southern Speed.
The current TAB Sportsbet ATC Oaks favourite of Streama at $1.75 with Thy $8 and Aliyana Tilde $10, however this is sure to change with Full Of Spirit's inclusion in the field.
