Godolphin three-year-old Willowy highlighted her massive potential and shone the spotlight on her New Zealand-bred sire Kermadec when she won the G1 Kennedy Oaks at Flemington on Thursday, 4 November in brilliant fashion.
Top mare Montefilia, also by Kermadec, was the favourite in the Oaks a year ago and, after winning the G1 The Metropolitan and finishing a close fourth in the Caulfield Cup since, she’s now regarded as one of the top stayers in Australasia.
Willowy, out of Australian mare Dextrous, took her record to three wins and two placings from just six starts for prizemoney of $817,065.
“She is untapped and could be even better than Montefilia in 12 months’ time,” Head Trainer, James Cummings, said.
Willowy beat Doucier and Biscayne Bay, giving champion jockey Damien Oliver his third Oaks in succession (after Miami Bound in 2019 and Personal in 2020) and a record-equalling seventh of his career.
A dual G1 winner, Kermadec is rapidly showing his ability to sire exceptional fillies and mares.
Over the past three years, his yearlings have fetched up to $520,000 in the sales ring.
The son of Teofilo stands at Darley’s Northwood Park stud in Victoria for a service fee of $11,000, including GST.
