Hungry Heart delivers once again taking out Group Australian Oaks

Hungry Heart, named after the classic Bruce Springsteen song, is a hit in her own right.

The outstanding three-year-old filly by superhorse Frankel scored her second Group 1 win in succession with her impressive effort in the $1 million ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick.

Trainer Chris Waller prepared his 12th Group 1 winner of the season – and the 123rd of his phenomenal career – with Hungry Heart, a filly he describes as “very special”.

Hungry Heart was considered good enough to run in the Golden Slipper last season where she finished fifth to Farnan but she has trained on to complete the Vinery Stud-ATC Australian Oaks double.

“To start with she’s good and she’s just matured with age,’’ Waller said.

“As a two-year-old she used to get on her toes and be a bit bubbly as you’d expect a young filly to be.

“But as a three-year-old now, only 12 months later, she’s really matured into a relaxed beautiful horse to work with.

“I said after her first Group 1 win a few weeks back the international stage is what racing’s all about.

“People are recognising Australian racing for all the right reasons during Covid and when you’ve got a Frankel filly winning the Australian Oaks I think it’s pretty special.”

Hungry Heart wins the Group 1 Australian Oaks! ???#FRANKELpic.twitter.com/s1QBLkCWAb

Hungry Heart ($5) gave champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy his 69th Australian Group 1 win when she won the Oaks by one-and-a-quarter lengths from the fast-finishing Duais ($16) with Bargain ($10) a close third.

New Zealand Oaks winner Amarelinha made her run from back in the field with Montefilia but after looming as winning chances half-way down the straight they faded to finish fourth and fifth respectively.

Favourite Harmony Rose ($3.80) set a moderate tempo up front but faded in the straight and finished only seventh.

McEvoy said Hungry Heart jumped well and settled in a more forward position compared to her Vinery Stud Stakes win when the filly came from near last.

“It was a different sort of race to last time, out at Rosehill, and Josh Parr rated his horse (Harmony Rose) quite cannily in front,’’ McEvoy said.

“But I was happy with the rhythm Hungry Heart got into and I wasn’t worried as I was in a position to move into it when I wanted to and that is what I did.

Kerrin McEvoy shows his delight returning to scale on Hungry Heart. Photo: Mark Evans/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“She was full of running from the 600m onwards and when I did make my own inroads into the race at the top of the lane I thought they were going need to be good to beat me.

“Hungry Heart is a sweet little filly who’s gone from strength to strength this time in.”

Waller conceded he is unsure of long-term plans for Hungry Heart as the trainer tends to be conservative with his placement of four-year-old mares in the spring but the Golden Eagle or Cox Plate are possible targets.,

Duais gave emerging trainer Edward Cummings a real thrill with her fast finishing second.

“She has run her heart out and done us very proud,’’ Cummings said. “She has had a long preparation and it nearly culminated in a dream result for us.

“But we got the race we wanted, which was the Adrian Knox Stakes and in the Oaks today she has proven she can handle the back-up, proven she can run out the trip, and has proven beyond any doubt she is one of the class three-year-old fillies in the country.’’

Originally published asEverybody loves a Hungry Heart

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