Yulong’s Treasurethe Moment stamped herself the benchmark for 3-year-old fillies with a dominant win in the $1,000,000 Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on Thursday to become the 39th filly to win the Wakeful Stakes – Oaks double.
Settled three pairs back in the running line by Damian Lane, the daughter of Alabama Express moved effortlessly to the front at the 300m and was never threatened in defeating the Wakeful stakes runner-up Powers Of Opal (Ocean Park) by one and a quarter lengths, with Hurry Curry (Ocean Park) one and a half lengths back in third.
It has been a smooth transition for the Matt Laurie-trained filly, winning the last four over 1400m, 1600m, 2000m, and 2500m.
“I can’t really put it into words. I’m still shaking,” Laurie said.
“It is 20 years of work really trying to achieve something like this. I’m just so grateful to my team at home and to Team Yulong. They have supported me.
“This is a homebred and her progress to win a Group1 is incredible.
“She is obviously very talented. Sheaids herself in the way she just goes to sleep in the run. She conserves all her energy. She lets down. It was very painless.
“This is a dream. We will celebrate long and hard I can guarantee that.
Having Yulong’s backing is incredible. They' ve been such a positive thing for the industry and to have them in my corner, I feel very privileged.”
Damian Lane is in awe of how Treasurethe Moment has progressed.
“She is a beauty and kept improving this preparation,” Lane said.
“Matt said to me before I rode her last start he thought that she was a really good horse in the making. She has proved them right. She is a bloody ripper.
“I just whipped her into the three back, one off position. She jumps well so it gives you a good option in the first part of the race. I got a nice bit of speed where I could tuck in. Travelled perfectly throughout the run.
“It (the Wakeful – Oaks double)is a tried and tested method. I did the same on Aristia. I was confident that was the right form. A couple of other horses coming through which you weren’t sure of - the Spring Champion and the Ethereal. I was as confident as you can be.”
“I was pretty happy with the run I had. The advantage that she has is that she begins well, so you it gives you that option to be a little bit positive and I said to Matty before we went out I'd rather take the risk rather than being negative or too positive, just take the risk that we can get in and then from there we can win.
“I’m glad it worked out that way and she was great.”
The daughter of Alabama Express is the second winner from as many to race for the Street Cry (IRE) mare Draconic Treasure (USA), whose dam Hazy Glow (Invincible Spirit) is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Rich Tapestry (Holy Roman Emperor), who was runner-up in the Golden Shaheen.
Treasurethe Moment is the final foal of Draconic Treasure (USA), who died in 2022.
The stylish filly is the first Group 1 winner for Yulong Stud’s Group 1 winning son of Redoute’s Choice.
With three stakes-winner and four stakes-placed winners from his first crop, Alabama Express’ exciting start has not gone unnoticed by breeders as he covered 222 mares at $22,000, earning an increase to $55,000 this spring.
