Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted April 26 Journalists Share Posted April 26 Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner, Benagil. (Photo: Jay Town – Racing Photos) Benagil confirmed her status as one of Australia’s premier staying fillies with a brilliant win in Saturday’s Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville. Trained by Glen Thompson and expertly ridden by Mark Zahra, Benagil, the $3.10 favourite with horse racing bookmakers, overcame a slow start to storm down the outside and score a dominant victory, delivering Thompson his first Group 1 success as a solo trainer. After settling near the tail of the field, Zahra was content to bide his time before unleashing a sustained sprint at the top of the straight to put the race to bed. In a terrific staying performance, the daughter of Manhattan Rain surged clear inside the final 200m to beat long-shot Sweltering ($201) by 1.29 lengths, with Polymnia ($4.60) flashing home into third. 2025 Group 1 Australasian Oaks Replay – Benagil https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Morphettville-2025-Group-1-Australasian-Oaks-26042025-Benagil-Glen-Thompson-Mark-Zahra.mp4 “She looked fantastic today,” Zahra said. “They went at a good tempo, and I was just smoking the pipe. “When I let her down, she exploded. She’s a real class filly.” Trainer Glen Thompson fought back emotion post-race, reflecting on a tough few weeks personally and professionally. “We got her here in as good order as we could,” he said. “She raced like the filly we always believed she was. It’s a huge moment for the team.” Benagil’s Oaks triumph capped a remarkable campaign after she finished runner-up in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney. The victory was also sweet for owner Phil Campbell, who bred the filly and was trackside to share the special moment. Thompson hinted that a trip to Brisbane for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks could now be on the table, depending on how Benagil pulls up, with pricing her as a $6 favourite. “There’s definitely a possibility,” he said. “We’ll let her tell us.” Saturday’s win took Benagil’s record to four wins from 10 starts and pushed her career earnings over the $1.1 million mark. It was also back-to-back Australasian Oaks wins for jockey Mark Zahra, who claimed the 2024 edition aboard Vibrant Sun. Horse racing news View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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