Personal vs Hela Oaks Showdown Looms

VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock-Personify, by Galileo) leads the nominations for Saturday week's Gr1 Australasian Oaks over 2000m at Morphettville, but she will have to contend with Tasmania's unbeaten Hela (Night of Thunder-Smooth Return, by Redoute's Choice), reports racingsa.com.au. Personal was one of six Oaks nominations for the Dabernig-Hayes stable, the others being Bourbon Street (Vancouver-Stellar Vinia, by Redoute's Choice), Tasmanian Oaks winner Chequerboard (Fastnet Rock-Chi, by Zabeel), Flying Mascot (Tavistock-Lucky Mascot, by Zabeel), Mimi's Award (Shamus Award-Aunt Mimi, by More Than Ready) and Montia (Vancouver-Pontiana, by Redoute's Choice). After Hela won again on Sunday night, her trainer Scott Brunton told tasracing.com.au, "She did what I expected her to do today and now we just have to keep her ticking over and hope we can get her to South Australia safe and sound. We've arranged to fly her and a mate to Melbourne and then they will be floated to Adelaide and we have arranged for her to be settled in at stables near Morphettville. Street Tough will be her travel companion and he will remain in Adelaide to contest some races, but Hela has only one target and that's the Australasian Oaks." Chris Waller has nominated two fillies, recent Group 3-winning Amarina Farm graduate Kiku (Zoustar-Atotori, by Haradasun) and Brookspire (Hinchinbrook-Be Inspired, by Zabeel).

Personal leads Australasian Oaks nominations (pic: Mark Gatt)