Flemington

23 Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that Oaks Day is the fillies’ day on the track – this year more than ever before. How old a race is our Oaks? It takes its name from the fillies’ Oaks Stakes first run in England in 1779, a year before the first EpsomDerby. Melbourne had its first Oaks Stakes in the gold rush era, in 1859, conducted by the Victoria Turf Club. It turned out to be not a race at all since the winner, Birdswing, won in what was correctly called ‘a walkover’ in a field of one. This was the first ‘Oaks’ at Flemington, even though many official lists begin with the filly Palestine in 1861, the year of the first Melbourne Cup. For horse lovers, the list of Oaks winners since that time contains revered champions, not least Miss Finland, Surround, Research, Light Fingers, Evening Peal and Chicquita, and back to Frances Tressady, Auraria and Briseis. When the brown filly Pinot, ridden by Stephen Baster, won the VRC Oaks in November 2017, Sydney’s Gai Waterhouse became the first woman ever to train the winner of this classic staying race. It gave a whole new meaning to Oaks Day as Ladies’ Day. Champion filly Briseis achieved an extraordinary feat in 1876 winning in the Victoria Derby, Melbourne Cup and Oaks in one week. (VRC Collection)