An Oaks campaign in 2022 is assured for Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino) but a decision on whether it’s in Sydney or Queensland won’t be made for several weeks.
Trainer David Vandyke reported that the daughter of Tarzino, who stretched her unbeaten run to four with an dominant win in Saturday’s Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (2100m) at Eagle Farm, would be given a freshen-up over the Christmas period while he and connections weigh up her options.
He said both the A$1 million Gr.1 ATC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in April and the A$600,000 Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June were under consideration for the emerging filly.
“I’ll give her a couple of weeks in a spelling yard up the road from the stable and I’ll keep a close watch on her,” Vandyke told RSN’s Correct Weight.
“Over that period of time I’ll decide whether we map out a path to the ATC Oaks, which would probably be a mile benchmark 90 up here (Queensland) and then go to Sydney for the Vinery (Stud Stakes) then the Oaks.
“Or I’ll give her six to eight weeks off and possibly aim her towards the Queensland Oaks.”
Vandyke is no stranger to mapping out Group One campaigns for star fillies, having overseen the careers of top three-year-olds Yankee Rose, Arabian Gold and Baccarat Baby.
He said there were little similarities between Yankee Rose and Gypsy Goddess, despite the former winning a Group One over 2000m.
“Yankee Rose was more a sprinter to middle distance horse but his girl is a deadest staying type,” he said.
“Only (similarity) that they both love racing and they’re passionate about winning.”
And Vandyke said he took satisfaction from winning a feature race with a daughter of Tarzino, given he was forced to pass up an opportunity to train the stallion as a yearling.
Tarzino ended up in the care of Mick Price, who trained him to win the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
“I was offered Tarzino as a yearling but I couldn’t find anyone to go in him, so I had to decline the offer,” he said.
