Panova has Alibi to aim at in Eagle Farm
Australasian Oaks winner in Group 1 double hunt to emulate trainer Moody’s boom filly
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The Chris Waller-trained Panova (Tommy Berry) winning the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1,600m) at Flemington on Nov 1, 2025. With three wins under the belt, including the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2,000m) at Morphettville at her last start on April 25, the Trapeze Artist filly will bid for a second Group 1 success in the Queensland Oaks (2,200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.
PHOTO: RACING PHOTOS
BRISBANE – Promising filly Panova can match the unique feat of the outstanding Sheza Alibi, if she wins the A$700,000 (S$641,000) Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2,200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.
Sheza Alibi is the only three-year-old filly to have won twice at Group 1 level in Australia this season with her great efforts in the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile, both over the mile, in Sydney during the autumn carnival.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained daughter of Saxon Warrior is currently spelling ahead of a spring campaign, where she will be set for the world’s second richest race on turf after the A$20 million The Everest (1,200m), the A$10 million Golden Eagle (1,500m) at Royal Randwick on Oct 31.
Chris Waller’s Panova brings different form into the Queensland Oaks.
She became one of the 15-time Sydney champion trainer’s record 21 Group 1 winners this season with her last-start success in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2,000m) at Morphettville on April 25.
The Trapeze Artist filly has had a tick-over barrier trial between runs and is currently on the second line of betting at 5-1 for the Eagle Farm fillies classic behind her stablemate, Chispa at 7-2 favouritism.
Chispa comes out of the traditional Queensland Oaks lead-up race, the Group 2 The Roses (2,000m) at Doomben on May 23, where she finished second behind the Ciaron Maher-trained Fireball Miss.
In fact, at least the top seven finishers in the Roses are set to clash again on June 6. They are Grand Omaha, Single Red, Parvenu, Soverato (another Waller) and Probability Theory, who completed the run-on in that order.
The Matthew Smith-trained Angel City is also coming via a different route into the Oaks, with the Harry Angel filly finishing fast for a close second to Agent Zero at Randwick over 1,800m on May 23.
Smith said Angel City has thrived since her Randwick effort and is sweating on his emerging filly getting into the Oaks field.
“I think we are about 24th in order of entry for the Oaks. But we will definitely have a shot if we can get her in,” said Smith of the two-time winner.
“If she doesn’t, then there is a 2,000m at Randwick on Saturday we could run her.
“But I’d love to get her into the Oaks, as she has had a good foundation for the 2,200m and I think she is going very well.”
Sunsprite, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, ran a good third in the Agent Zero race. Her connections are also desperate for their improving filly to squeeze into the Oaks field.
After her only unplaced effort on debut, the daughter of The Autumn Sun has not finished worse than third, scoring twice on the country circuit at Goulburn (1,500m) and Musswellbrook (1,750m). RACING AND SPORTS
