Possible Oaks start for Emirates Park homebred

MAY 25, 2010: Emirates Park-bred and -raced Al Nakhla opened-up her winning account in very promising fashion, staying on strongly at the end of an 1800-metre Maiden Plate staged on the Kensington-Randwick track to score by a length and a quarter.

Trained out of the Chris Waller stable on behalf of His Excellency Nasser Lootah, Al Nakhla went into the contest off a promising third placing at Canterbury Park in similar company but is now possibly looking at a start in the QTC Queensland Oaks at Group 1 level.

Settled at the back of the field immediately after jumping, Al Nakhla was always traveling sweetly during the course of the race. Asked to improve her position close to the fence when rounding the home turn, before switching to the centre of the course in the straight, the home-bred filly responded in outstanding fashion to win with something in hand.

After the race, trainer Chris Waller confirmed that the Queensland Oaks is a definite possibly for Al Nakhla, depending on order of entry. “She’s a nice filly who can definitely stay,” claimed Waller. “She’s very well bred and it's always been our aim [to run in the QTC Oaks], but the fields in Queensland are very big.”

Al Nakhla is a half-sister to the Emirates Park-bred dual Group 1 winner Dash For Cash. Their dam, Gulistan, is a full-sister to VRC Edward Manifold Stakes (G2) winner Rubidium and a half-sister to Salivate, winner of an STC Royal Parma Stakes (LR). Further back in the family is the 1980 Epsom Oaks winner Bireme and the celebrated British stayers Buoy and Anchor.