Irish eyes smile as dominant Strictly Business lands Crown Oaks

It was a remarkable victory in the feature Group 1 Crown Oaks with Ballarat based trainer Thomas Carberry training Strictly Business to an emphatic victory, giving John Allen his win in the race. Carberry, who hails from one of the most famous racing families in Ireland, saddled up his first ever Australian Group 1 runner and emerged victorious with champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins trackside for the win.

Strictly Business defeated Chris Waller’s first ever Crown Oaks runner, The Pearls, by three and a half lengths, the most dominant Oaks win since Lasqueti Spirit’s incredible front-running victory in 2016.

In front of a crowd of 51,239, her victory meant that it was the first time since 1944 that the winners of the Howden Victoria Derby, Lexus Melbourne Cup and Crown Oaks were all bred in Victoria. 

Flemington trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman prepared two winners and even managed the quinella in the $300,000 Group 3 Crown Red Roses Stakes (1100m) when the promising Point Barrow defeated Inkaruna. The 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup-winning trainers also won the $150,000 Good Friday Appeal Trophy (1800m) with Al Duca and will send out Tentyris in Saturday’s Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m).

Trainer Lindsey Smith, winner of the 2004 Victoria Derby with Plastered, had only two acceptors for this week’s Melbourne Cup Carnival and won with both Guerite in the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) and First Chorus in the $150,000 TCL Trophy (1700m).

With just one day to go, Mark Zahra is the rider to beat in his quest for a first Ron Hutchinson Award as the Carnival’s leading jockey, despite going winless on Crown Oaks Day. He is on 26 points, 15 points - or five wins - clear of four jockeys including James McDonald, who has won the title the last four years. Craig Williams, Ethan Brown and Daniel Stackhouse are also tied with McDonald on 11 points.

Ciaron Maher, defending the J B Cummings Award as the Carnival’s leading trainer that he won for the first time last year, leads on 22 points, eight points clear of Waller and nine ahead of the Freedmans.

The world-famous Birdcage Enclosure played host to a who’s who of entertainment, sport, business and media. Including Special Guest of Crown and Real Housewife of Beverly Hills, Dorit Kemsley, alongside Friends of the VRC, Sarah Ellen, Hannah Dal Sasso and Eden Kannourakis and Crown Ambassador Tom Hawkins with wife Emma Hawkins in the Crown Marquee. LANDMARK by Lexus Ambassador Kate Waterhouse. In the G.H Mumm Marquee, a suite of lifestyle personalities glammed up for Oaks Day, including media personalities Clint Stanaway, Lauren Phillips and Jase Hawkins who hosted the Oaks Day Tap Tap moment. TAB hosted 2015 Melbourne Cup winning Jockey, Michelle Payne alongside media personalities and ambassadors, Jacqui & Michael Felgate.

Off track, Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field presented by Lexus reached its crescendo with the Grand Finals of the Best Dressed and Best Suited categories hosted live in front of hundreds of spectators at the new enclosure on Flemington’s famous front lawn.

A world-renowned panel of judges including Crown special guest and international style icon Dorit Kemsley, and Lexus Ambassador Melissa Leong judged Holly Keenan the winner in the Best Dressed category and Jenny Beard the winner of the Best Suited category. Emma from Perth in Western Australia was wearing a hand-made laser cut dress inspired by art deco tiles and a hat by Peacock Millinery. Jenny from Langwarrin South in Victoria was wearing a hand-made 3-piece suit and hat. 

The Best Dressed and Best Suited winners each take away over $41,000 in prizes, with each overall winner receiving an ABC Bullion Gold Bar valued at $17,500 and $10,000 in cash, along with fantastic prizes from VRC partners including Crown, Schweppes, TAB and TCL Electronics.   

The Elms Live Stage, presented by Maccas, hosted British superstar Craig David in the vibrant new precinct at the end of the straight. The UK-based star performed global smash hits including 7 Days, Fill Me In and Walking Away in front of thousands of racing and music fans.

The Victoria Racing Club’s Pin & Win campaign, which saw pins sold throughout Flemington for charity partner Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania, with Pin & Win ambassadors including Elly Wicks, Lisa Davenport, Grant Smillie, Mikayla & Jack Crisp and Rachel Watts on track to promote the campaign. 

“Crown Oaks Day continues to showcase the very best of the Melbourne Cup Carnival – a celebration of racing excellence, fashion, and entertainment,” said VRC CEO Kylie Rogers.

“We witnessed a brilliant performance on the track with Risky Business claiming the prestigious Crown Oaks, while off the track, Flemington came alive with the final of Fashions on the Fields competition and a show-stopping performance by Craig David on The Elms stage.”

“We now turn our attention to TAB Champions Stakes Day, where Australia’s finest horses will deliver a thrilling conclusion to an unforgettable week with more exciting racing to come!”

TAB Champions Stakes Day will deliver a spectacular finale to the Melbourne Cup Carnival on Saturday, as Australia’s finest racehorses converge on Flemington for a spectacular finale to the nation’s premier racing week.