Royal Descent, in doubt to run right up until a few hours before the race, has scored one of the most emphatic Australian Oaks wins at Randwick on Saturday.
” … we made a decision at basically one o’clock that we were going run,” winning trainer Chris Waller said.
On a rain-soaked track, Royal Descent worked her way into the race from the middle stages before joining the leaders with an inside run on the home turn.
Nothing could go with her as jockey Nash Rawiller set sail for the finish and Royal Descent increased her margin on the field with every stride.
“She’s gone beyond all expectations with what she did,” Rawiller said.
“I had a peak at the 250 (metres) but she was home.”
In a quinella finish for multi-millionaire friends, the Gerry Harvey-owned Royal Descent beat John Singleton’s Dear Demi.
Victorian filly Gondokoro came from last to fill the minor placing.