New Zealand filly Awesome Planet lived up to trainer Graeme Rogerson's high opinion, booking early favouritism for the Queensland Oaks with a brilliant victory in the Doomben Roses yesterday.
Awesome Planet, who only arrived from New Zealand last Thursday, downed fellow Kiwi filly Ekstreme by a half-head in the 2020mfeature with Purple a length away third.
Rogerson believed Awesome Planet would have been New Zealand's Filly of the Year had it not been for an accident on the way to the track before the New Zealand Oaks in March.
"She'll be hard to beat in the Queensland Oaks on that run."
Awesome Planet was ridden by Jim Cassidy whose victory on the filly brought back memories of his three successive Doomben Cup victories on Rough Habit.
The last filly to complete the Doomben Roses-Queensland Oaks double was Ethereal in 2001, the same year she went on to claim the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double.
West Australian 6-year-old Scenic Shot bounced back from being a beaten favourite last start to score a gritty win in the Group One Doomben Cup.
The Dan Morton-trained gelding, perfectly ridden by Shane Scriven, settled midfield in the 2020m feature as New Zealander Sir Slick took up his customary frontrunning role.
Sir Slick kicked away at the top of the straight and was being hailed the winner but Sydney star Racing To Win and Scenic Shot claimed him late to fight out the finish.
Scenic Shot did better in the drive to the line with Sir Slick holding on for third.
