The Schweppes Oaks is a Group 1 race held for three-year-old fillies at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide. It is run over 2000m at Set Weights with all fillies carrying 56kg in the race.
Registered as the Australasian Oaks which is the original name of the race between 1982-2005, the race name was changed to the Schweppes Oaks from 2006 onwards. As of 2019, the Schweppes Oaks carries $500,000 in prizemoney with the winner receiving $320,000. The race pays down to 10th with horses that finish between sixth place and 10th receiving $5,000.
The Schweppes Oaks is currently staged during the month of May, but has been held in February, March and April in the past.
Rose Of Kingston won the inaugural running of the Schweppes Oaks in 1982. Her major race wins included the Champagne Stakes (1981), Coolmore Stud Stakes (1981), Crown Oaks (1981), Australian Derby (1982) and Makybe Diva Stakes (1982). Her outstanding 1982 efforts earned her the accolade of Australian Horse of the Year.
Mannerism is another famous winner of the Schweppes Oaks. She was victorious in 1991 when ridden by Damien Oliver. A small field of seven runners contested the race with Mannerism starting the $4.50 second favourite behind $2.40 favourite Shavano Miss who was beaten 1.3 lengths. Mannerism won 13 races from 38 starts and more than $1.8 million in prizemoney. She also won a Futurity Stakes, Vic Health Cup and her most famous win, the Caulfield Cup in 1992. Jockey Shane Dye was runner up aboard Veandercross after covering significantly more ground in a controversial ride that is remembered more than the winning ride by Damien Oliver.
The 2002 edition was not held at Morphettville. It was run at Victoria Park with Tully Thunder defeating She’s Archie by three-quarters of a length. Tully Thunder would only win four races from 46 starts. She’s Archie on the other hand would win five from 22, amassing more than $1 million in prizemoney; most of that would be earned in the 2003 Melbourne Cup when finishing second behind three-time winner Makybe Diva.
Most wins by a trainer is four which goes to Lee Freedman who trained Miss Clipper (1986), Mannerism (1991), Gatherneaux (1992) and Grand Echezeaux (2000) to success in the race. The late Bart Cummings prepared three winners - Royal Regatta (1983), Stapleton Lass (1989) and Our Tristalight (1993).
Other notable winners of the Australasian Oaks include Our Tristalight (1993), Tristalove (1994), Grand Echezeaux (2000), Zarita (2008), Gallica (2009), Lights Of Heaven (2011), May’s Dream (2014) and Delicacy (2015).
The 2019 edition was won by Princess Jenni, giving jockey Damien Oliver the first leg of a Group 1 double on the day.
