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Ad John Allen after riding Strictly Business to win the Crown Oaks. (Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)

Irish get down to Business in VRC Oaks

6 November 2025 Written by Racing and Sports, Brad Bishop

Irishmen Thomas Carberry and John Allen pulled off a remarkable win in Thursday's VRC Oaks, taking the $1 million Group 1 at Flemington with lightly-raced filly Strictly Business.

The daughter of Grunt provided Ballarat-based trainer Carberry with his maiden Group 1 success when she won the 2500-metre event at just her fourth career start.

Carberry turned in one of the great training performances in the history of the race that was first run in 1855 when he got Strictly Business home just 13 days after claiming a 1400m fillies maiden on her home track at her first start since her March debut.

Strictly Business sealed her spot in the Oaks with a fast-finishing second placing to Getta Good Feeling in last Saturday's Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Carberry was thrilled to see his plan come together.

"We had this race in mind for a long time," he said.

"She missed a run at Geelong and we were put on the back foot a bit, but we found a race that suited Johnny and us at Ballarat a couple of weeks ago and she came through that so well we decided to take our chance in the Wakeful, because she's that type of horse.

"Today came on the radar because she ran so well there. She looked like she needed the 2500-metre trip and that was what happened."

Strictly Business, who is out of the Uncle Mo mare Tivoli Lass and descends from the family of Caulfield Cup winner Affinity, finished far too powerfully for her rivals and scored by 3-1/2 lengths.

The $7.50 chance defeated The Pearls ($8), who was Chris Waller's first runner in the VRC Oaks, with the Dom Sutton-trained After Summer ($31) a neck back third.

Getta Good Feeling ($1.80 fav), who comfortably accounted for Strictly Business in the Wakeful Stakes, enjoyed a good run midfield one off the fence and was presented when the runs came rounding the home turn but struggled over the final furlong to finish sixth, beaten 6-1/4 lengths.

The win was the first in the VRC Oaks for Allen, who is a neighbour of Carberry's in Ballarat, and the jockey was thrilled to celebrate it with his countryman.

"What a training performance," Allen said.

"He trains 10 horses, rides them all out himself, and to do what he's done with this filly – she basically debuted 12 days ago.

"I know she had one run last prep, but to do what he's done with the horse is an unreal training performance."

The Oaks success was another triumph for the Ballarat training community this week following on from Tuesday's Melbourne Cup success of the Tony and Calvin Mcevoy-trained Half Yours.

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