Racing: Bowman on Oaks hope

Dowager Queen after her game second in the Wakeful Stakes last Saturday is a top chance in the Oaks tomorrow. Photo / APN

The swings and roundabouts of racing turned for and against jockey Hugh Bowman yesterday.

The race morning scratching of Mourayan robbed Bowman of the chance to ride in the Melbourne Cup but his fortunes turned with his booking for Victoria Oaks favourite Dowager Queen.

Craig Williams was due to ride the New Zealand filly in tomorrow's 2500m classic but failed in his attempt to gain a stay of proceedings pending an appeal of a careless riding suspension.

Dowager Queen ran third in Saturday's lead-up, the Wakeful Stakes, won in brilliant style by Atlantic Jewel.

But the winner was ruled out of the rest of the spring on Sunday with a pulled hamstring and the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained filly was promoted to Oaks favouritism.

Graeme Rogerson, who races the horse in partnership with Max Whitby, said he left the jockey decision up to his fellow owner.

"A lot of jockeys rang up and I left it up to Max," he said.

"I'm happy to have Hugh aboard and I think this filly will win.

"The 2500m suits, she wants to be a racehorse and finds the line.

"I think she probably should have run second on Saturday but Craig lost his whip and had to use his hand."

Whitby is the owner of the Rogerson-trained Scarlett Lady who was the early Melbourne Cup favourite but went amiss after her eighth in the Underwood Stakes.

He and Rogerson also have a vested interest in claiming classic races with the progeny of Savabeel.

Whitby was an owner of Savabeel, who Rogerson trained to win the 2004 Cox Plate and run second in that year's Victoria Derby to Plastered.

Scarlett Lady won the Queensland Oaks and another of Savabeel's progeny, Sangster, claimed last Saturday's Victoria Derby.

- AAP