Waking Moment's maiden win in the Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick yesterday has trainer John Thompson dreaming about a similar outcome in next weekend's A$1 million Australian Oaks.
The lightly raced filly needed practically every inch of the 2000 metres on her home track to reel in Perfect Rhyme and did so in a manner that suggested she might handle the step up to 2400 metres for what would be a Group One debut.
"The Oaks distance won't be a worry," he said after Waking Moment scored by half a head for rider Jason Collett.
Although the quality of the field was down on last Saturday's Oaks lead-up at Rosehill, the Vinery Stakes, Thompson felt she could handle a higher class provided she recovered.
"We'll see how she pulls up. There is that option or the Queensland (Oaks). I think the horse will probably tell us.
"No doubt about it," he said when asked if Waking Moment could make the necessary improvements over the next seven days. "She is a horse on the way up. The more ground she gets, the better she'll get."
Thompson said Waking Moment had matured since her debut in mid-February at Randwick, where she finished fifth of 10 in a maiden over 1200 metres.
"Then she went to Kembla over a mile and she was a bit fresh and over-raced," he said. "Jason put her to sleep and rode her to hit the line today and she did."
Collett also recalled that seventh placing at Kembla Grange when pinpointing Waking Moment's positive strides.
"We rode her quiet at her first start over 1200 metres and she did a lot wrong. She over-raced but finished nicely.
"We were able to switch her off today. She's still very new and raw. There's a lot to come but that's a good effort.
"She wasn't really confident in that going in the early stages but she just grew more and more confident."
