The Moonee Valley Oaks is a Group 2 set weights race for three-year-old fillies held annually each February at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne during the Melbourne autumn racing carnival. The race is run over 1600 metres and offers a purse of $200,000. The 2011 Moonee Valley Oaks was taken out by Lights Of Heaven from Always Discreet with Absolutely third.
Taking place on the same night as the Gr1 William Reid Stakes, the race is registered as the Moonee Valley Oaks, but has been run as the 'Moonee Valley Fillies Classic' in recent years, and in 2010 the race distance changed from 1500 metres to 1600 metres.
The Moonee Valley Oaks is a set weights event for three-year-old fillies run over 1600m and typically attracts those fillies who may be heading on to races like the Gr1 Australasian Oaks and Gr3 SA Oaks at Morphettville during the Adelaide racing carnival in March.
The level weight conditions of the race means the better performed females have a decided advantage and more often than not the classier fillies will come to the fore.
The Moonee Valley Oaks provides an ideal lead-in for race for the Gr2 Kewney Stakes for fillies held at Flemington on Super Saturday of Racing later in the month.
Lights Of Heaven (2011) won a Fillies & Mares (0-72) midweek race at Sandown over 1400m prior to winning this event and recent Moonee Valley Oaks winners have been My Emotion (2010) and Romneya (2009).
2011 Moonee Valley Oaks result
1. $1.65 Lights Of Heaven 57.0 L Nolen
2. $4.80 Always Discreet 57.0 M Pegus
3. $10.00 Absolutely 57.0 C Williams
then followed
4. $101.00 Sean Baile Mor 57.0 D Holland
5. $8.50 Count Your Fingers 57.0 C Newitt
6. $32.00 Bride Salama 57.0 M Walker
7. $7.00 Becerra 57.0 S Arnold
Margins: 3/4 len, 1/4 len Time: 1:35.68
The Gr2 Sunline Stakes is held alongside the Moonee Valley Oaks on William Reid Stakes night at Mooney Valley.
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