Racing: Smithies look for Oaks win

No Tricks is at long odds to take the $536,000 feature at Doomben today. Photo / Thinkstock

It's already been a season to remember for Waikato breeders Paul and Cushla Smithies, but the couple would love nothing more than to embellish it further with a A$500,000 ($536,000) Group 1 Queensland Oaks showing this weekend.

The Smithies bred both Platinum Witness and No Tricks to go into the fillies' classic two-handed and the Karapiro couple will be on track at Doomben today to cheer the pair on.

The Lisa Latta-trained Platinum Witness has already provided the Smithies with one of their highlights of the season when she claimed the Group 1 1000 NZ Guineas at Riccarton for owners John Street and Neville McAlister, while the Smithies-owned No Tricks added to their stakes haul when she won last month's Listed Warstep Stakes at the same track.

"It's a big thrill to have bred two fillies in the Queensland Oaks. That's a fantastic result in itself, but we'd love to see them both run well too," Smithies said.

The two fillies clashed in last week's Group 2 The Roses at Doomben, with Platinum Witness finishing sixth and No Tricks 10th.

"Platinum Witness got too far out of her ground the other day. It was her first time that way around, but from what we've heard Lisa is happy with her and is expecting a bold run in the Oaks," Smithies said.

"The TAB over here has No Tricks at 100 to one. In her first two starts over here she's drawn out and last week things just went wrong for her. She bungled the start, went to the back of the field and pulled the whole way. We're hoping the inside draw will make enough of a difference." Another Group One placing from either filly would further decorate a watershed season for the Smithies' Monovale Farm.

They bred and race Group 1 Thorndon Mile winner Puccini and also bred Group 2 winner Adrift and Group 3 winner Magic Dancer, as well as stakes-placed Ezra, Flying Orca and Pipi Beel and Waikato Hurdles winner Prologue.

• The New Zealand-bred and owned Bohemian Lily has been counted out of today's fillies' feature at Doomben.

Injuries suffered in a freak incident yesterday morning forced her scratching from the Queensland Oaks. She was reportedly at the track and was walking past the treadmill when they fired it up and she took fright. She went sideways and cut her hock and elbow.

Bohemian Lily was second favourite to win the Oaks at Doomben after her win in The Roses last week.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse said Bohemian Lily would be spelled and aimed at the Caulfield Cup.

"It might be a blessing in disguise," Waterhouse said. "That one extra run might have been the run that could take that little bit extra out of her, but now she'll be nice and fresh and ready to rock and roll in the spring."

Bohemian Lily was an Oaks ride for Blake Shinn and the leading Sydney jockey is now expected to partner Imperial Lass, the first emergency which has been elevated into the field.

• Rustic Melody is not among the leading market contenders for the Queensland Oaks but trainer Kris Lees believes she has plenty in her favour.

"She is probably the forgotten horse of the race. Maybe, it is because we have stayed racing in Sydney out of the way," Lees said.

- NZ Racing Desk, AAP