Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick has big plans for his filly Italia Bella who is included in the 148 nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 14, day two of The Championships.

Aloisia,above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Aloisia,above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Australian Oaks at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Italia Bella only broke through for her maiden win at her sixth race start over 1600m on her home track last Sunday but Kendrick is confident the Fastnet Rock filly out of the Group 1 winning mare Pear Tart will continue to improve and be capable of handling the 2400m of the Australian Oaks.

“She’s a horse that’s got a lot of promise,” Kendrick told the Sunshine Coast Daily.

“She’s always shown a lot of ability and she’s very well bred so hopefully she can go on.”

“She’ll probably have her next run over 2000m and step up and hopefully she’s going to be a nice staying filly for us.”

“Ultimately, the race we’d like to target is the Oaks. She’s got to keep improving and she’s good enough to do that and she’s got the breeding to do it.

“And what she’s shown us so far we think is, as she furthers (in distance) she’ll keep improving.”

If Italia Bella makes the final field for the 2018 Australian Oaks, she is likely to be taking on the best fillies from Australia and New Zealand and could include the 2017 Thousand Guineas winner Aloisia.

The Aaron Purcell trained Aloisia scored a surprise win in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival and then went on to win the Group 2 $200,000 Drummond Gold Vase (2040m) at The Valley.

Aloisia had one more run in the Spring when she was sent out as the short priced favourite for the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington but finished just over three lengths from the winner Pinot in sixth position.

Purcell has also nominated the lightly raced filly Inspirante for the 2018 Australian Oaks.

Even though the Kennedy Oaks winner Pinot is not among the nominations for the Australian Oaks, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable still have a strong contingent with eleven fillies among the nominations.

Kiwi trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman won last year’s Australian Oaks with their tough filly Bonneval and have nominated two fillies for this year’s contest, Marcellina and Milseain.

The first acceptances for the 2018 Australian Oaks will be taken on Tuesday March 13 with the final field being declared on Tuesday April 10.

Nominations for the 2018 Australian Oaks (2400m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer
1 9613x ALL ABOUT JULIA F 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
2 438x331x1x ALL TOO SOON F 3 David Payne
3 2x12x5116x ALOISIA (NZ) F 3 Aaron Purcell
4 ALTERNATIVE FACT (NZ) F 3 Richard Collett
5 3721168x ANCHOR BID F 3 Darren Weir
6 16140x ANGELIC SPIRIT (NZ) F 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
7 11x ANTELOPE F 3 Gerald Ryan
8 33x14921x AONAIR F 3 Chris Waller
9 x31x16311x BANISH F 3 James Cummings
10 12x3x BELLE DU NORD (NZ) F 3 Emma-Lee & David Browne
11 7x4401x BLUE JAY WAY F 3 Grahame Begg
12 432102x BRING ME ROSES F 3 Tony McEvoy
13 0x3711455x BURDEN OF PROOF F 3 Theresa Bateup
14 4x9954221x BYE BYE LOVE F 3 Archie Alexander
15 310x CABIERRO F 3 Anthony Freedman
16 713x CANADIENNE F 3 James Cummings
17 32x3x CAPPAMORE F 3 Jason Coyle
18 CARICATURE (NZ) F 3 Tony Pike
19 90x CHE F 3 Frank Conlan
20 8x211x CHILLY CHA CHA (NZ) F 3 Kris Lees
21 CHOSEN HEIR F 3 Kris Lees
22 49x CINCINNATI RED (NZ) F 3 Leon & Troy Corstens
23 CONTESSA VANESSA (NZ) F 3 Graeme Rogerson
24 0x CRAFTY WARRIOR (NZ) F 3 Kurt Goldman
25 133x CUBAN SIZZLE F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
26 DAIQUIRI LASS F 3 John W Ramsey
27 1321x DANCERS F 3 Brad Widdup
28 DANZDANZDANCE F 3 Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs
29 3x4224x DINNIGAN F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
30 61x DISCREET CHARM F 3 John P Thompson
31 1x DIVINE BREEZE F 3 Mark Newnham
32 14x2x EARTH ANGEL F 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
33 x443x2512x FIFTH AFFAIR F 3 Garry White
34 81x FURTHER TO FLY F 3 Matthew Dale
35 3x629x GLASGOW GREY (NZ) F 3 John Sargent
36 326x GLOBAL SANCTION F 3 Grahame Begg
37 642x40x GOD SENT F 3 Kurt Goldman
38 45x GOLDEN LILY F 3 John Sargent
39 5336x1353x GRAND THEFT AUTO F 3 Edward O’Rourke
40 GRIS DAME (NZ) F 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
41 4x3x GUIPURE F 3 James Cummings
42 62x HANDS OFF F 3 Matthew Smith
43 32x HAPUKA (NZ) F 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
44 212x HASAHALO (NZ) F 3 Stephen Mckee
45 3x HAWACAIN F 3 Glen Thompson
46 1x7x43x HIGH LOW BET F 3 Chris Waller
47 5x12343x HIYAAM (NZ) F 3 Mick Price
48 HONFLEUR (NZ) F 3 Tony Pike
49 2x655x5x INDRABEEL (NZ) F 3 Nigel Blackiston
50 INSIGHT (NZ) F 3 Stephen Marsh
51 3x INSPIRANTE (FR) F 3 Aaron Purcell
52 532x3x21x ITALIA BELLA F 3 Stuart Kendrick
53 52213x60x JOYFILLY OURS (NZ) F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
54 3x JUNGLE FISH F 3 Michael Kent
55 7046x3x JUST GORGEOUS F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
56 7x4x KAFFKA F 3 Matthew Smith
57 KAPOOR (NZ) F 3 John Bell
58 73x317x12x LETS GET NAUTI GAL F 3 Kris Lees
59 LOTUS LEAF F 3 David Vandyke
60 x453690x5x LUCKY LOUIE F 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
61 5x695x57x LUDDENHAM LASS F 3 Jeff Englebrecht
62 1776214x LUVALUVA (NZ) F 3 John Sargent
63 LUXE (NZ) F 3 Emma-Lee & David Browne
64 4x MADAME MARKIEVICZ (NZ) F 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
65 MARCELLINA (NZ) F 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
66 63x742x MARIA VICTORIA F 3 John Sargent
67 MARK TWO (NZ) F 3 Stephen Marsh
68 7x MIDORIYAMA F 3 Robbie Laing
69 MILSEAIN (NZ) F 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
70 066x8405x MISS ADMIRATION F 3 Mick Price
71 07x MISS BOWJANGLES F 3 Matthew Smith
72 8221x3x MISS KYEEMA F 3 Kris Lees
73 52402x2x MISS LILLIAN F 3 Mark Young
74 21x6x MISSYBEEL (NZ) F 3 Bjorn Baker
75 8x531x MUSIC OF THE NIGHT F 3 Pat Carey
76 NAIVASHA F 3 Nigel Blackiston
77 NESMA (NZ) F 3 Mick Price
78 11x OCEAN DEEP (NZ) F 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
79 OKOTO F 3 Tony Pike
80 611x PALAZZO VECCHIO F 3 Mick Price
81 359x41199x PANDEMONIUM F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
82 111x PARIS ROCK (NZ) F 3 Henry Dwyer
83 5x PELONOMENA F 3 Darren Weir
84 PIERROCITY F 3 Stephen Marsh
85 78x579x PLAY THAT SONG F 3 Michael Moroney
86 9x3323121x PLEASURING F 3 Darren Weir
87 PONT ALMA F 3 Emma-Lee & David Browne
88 POWER TRANSFORMER F 3 Kris Lees
89 6522x PRINCESS MIA F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
90 6x2x PULANG PULA F 3 Mark Newnham
91 2x9x REALITY SHOW F 3 Nigel Blackiston
92 86x97148x RELIABLE DAME (NZ) F 3 Anthony Freedman
93 2x3x RIDICULE F 3 Brad Widdup
94 22x221237x RIMRAAM (NZ) F 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
95 ROC SANDS F 3 Glen Thompson
96 ROCK’N’ROLL MUSIC F 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
97 ROLL OF THUNDER F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
98 RONDINELLA (NZ) F 3 Roger James
99 6x2x RUCHLA F 3 John Sadler
100 3x SAVVY COUP (NZ) F 3 Michael Pitman
101 SAZAVEE F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
102 0x4251802x SEABABE F 3 Gary Portelli
103 136x557x1x SEANNIE F 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
104 2x4x SEMARI (NZ) F 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
105 33x SEMPER FIDELIS F 3 Chris Waller
106 4x2147x4x SHAGRA F 3 David Brideoake
107 28x13x0x3x SHEIKHA F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
108 12x SHUMOOKH F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
109 6x SILENT ROAR F 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
110 x2735x571x SMOOTH CELEBRATION F 3 Jason Warren
111 4341936x SNOGGING F 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
112 18x SO YOU LEICA F 3 Darren Weir
113 3523x2x SOPRESSA F 3 Darren Weir
114 233x23312x STELLA VICTORIA F 3 David Payne
115 4x2623422x STROME F 3 Gary Portelli
116 4x SUPEREGO F 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
117 SWING NOTE F 3 Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards
118 21x2134x TAGREEDA F 3 Mick Price
119 TAM O’SHANTER F 3 Michael Kent
120 5306x TEMOLIE F 3 John Sargent
121 3x611x TEMPLE OF BEL F 3 Archie Alexander
122 TERRA FIRMA (NZ) F 3 Steven Ramsay
123 TERRA SANCTA (NZ) F 3 Tony Pike
124 8x THE PROMISE F 3 John P Thompson
125 THE SAVANT (NZ) F 3 Kris Lees
126 8334320x THINK DIAMONDS F 3 Anthony Freedman
127 0x THINK I’M DREAMING F 3 Henry Dwyer
128 42x15x44x TIARA STAR F 3 Gregory Hickman
129 1x TO YOUR HEALTH F 3 Anthony & Edward Cummings
130 7x4x TORNADO GAL F 3 Brett Cavanough
131 643x3253x TOUCH OF MINK F 3 Matthew Smith
132 TREASURE (NZ) F 3 Tony Pike
133 2x13435x5x TRUE EXCELSIOR (NZ) F 3 Leon & Troy Corstens
134 3857x3331x TUSKAR BROOK F 3 Pat Carey
135 72x111x UNFORGOTTEN F 3 Chris Waller
136 7x356x UNION DUES (NZ) F 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
137 33x82200x UPTOWN GAL F 3 Robbie Laing
138 241x21x WAIMEA BAY F 3 Kris Lees
139 71160x WATCHMESPIN F 3 Danny O’Brien
140 632x WEAVING MAGIC (NZ) F 3 John Sargent
141 0x11x WEDGIE F 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
142 3x4113x78x WHISPERED SECRET F 3 Kris Lees
143 WILD SEA F 3 Michael Kent
144 54x YOUNGSTAR F 3 Chris Waller
145 1x44241x YULONG XINGSHENG F 3 Kris Lees
146 22x ZEBREEZ F 3 Leon & Troy Corstens
147 1x ZEDFORCE F 3 John P Thompson
148 45x6x ZOOPHORIA F 3 Nigel Blackiston

The post Sunshine Coast filly Italia Bella among 2018 Australian Oaks nominations appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.