Getta Good Feeling lands second Group 2 in Wakeful
A crack at Thursday’s VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) awaits Getta Good Feeling (3 f So You Think – Marquise Da Rossa by Testa Rossa) after the Danny O’Brien-trained filly justified an odds-on quote in Saturday’s Wakeful Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) at Flemington.
A rapid improver in Group company of recent, having won the Edward Manifold Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) before finishing a length third in the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), the daughter of Coolmore’s late stallion So You Think (High Chaparral) scored by 1.3 lengths over Strictly Business (Grunt) in this weekend’s Group 2 contest as she tackled 2000 metres for the first time.
There was a further 1.2 lengths back to Voting Rights (Snitzel) in third place, with the winning rider Mark Zahra – who ended up with a four-timer on the card – coming away impressed with the filly’s performance.
“She’s a very nice horse to ride,” said Zahra, who was taking over from the suspended Billy Egan. “She flew the start, then I was able to sit outside the leader on a moderate tempo, relaxed really well [and] she stargazed pretty much all the way up the straight.
“She did it effortlessly. With a bit of urging she focused a bit and it was just the sort of win you hope for going into an Oaks.”
O’Brien knows how to prepare a mare for the quick back-up, having saddled Miami Bound (Reliable Man) to the Wakeful / Oaks double in 2019.
In fact, winners of the Group 2 have an unbelievable record in the following Thursday’s Group 1, with 39 fillies completing the feat and that cohort includes last year’s victress Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express).
O’Brien confirmed that Getta Good Feeling will aim to become the 40th filly to complete the famous double, with the trainer planning to run her in the Oaks back at Flemington on Thursday.
He said: “We’ve made no secret of our respect for this filly from her first start in Geelong and we’ve had this week in mind for her.
“It doesn’t always play out as smoothly as what it has for her this spring but, so far so good. She’s going to go to the Oaks in great shape. She’s a filly that is big and strong by So You Think.
“He won a Mackinnon Stakes on this day about 15 years ago and he’s passed away so it is great to see his filly turning up and winning this and hopefully the Oaks on Thursday.”
Getta Good Feeling was shorted into $2 favouritism for the VRC Oaks following her win on Saturday.