Served Cold the first filly to win the Geelong Classic

Served Cold showed she was right on track for a tilt at the VRC Oaks after becoming the first filly to win the Geelong Classic.

The Danny O’Brien-trained filly accounted for her six male rivals in Wednesday’s 2200m Listed race.

The Geelong Classic is open to three-year-olds as a lead-up to the Group 1 double of the Victoria Derby and VRC Oaks, both over 2500m at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Wednesday’s race was born from the Geelong Derby Trial and Geelong Oaks Trial which were run on separate days over the Geelong two-day carnival before becoming a one-day event in 2003.

Ridden by Blake Shinn, Served Cold ($4.80) outstayed her rivals to score by 1-¼ lengths from Waverley ($6) with Kosgei ($9.50) the same margin away third.

Served Cold showed promise at her second race start when successful in a 1700m Geelong maiden and on the strength of that victory was sent out an odds-on favourite when fifth in the Oaks Trial over 1800m at Flemington on September 24.

O’Brien said Served Cold was not suited leading that day and appreciated taking a sit on Wednesday.

“We were disappointed on the day (at Flemington) but the more you analyse it you couldn’t be too critical,” O’Brien said.

“She had an easy couple of weeks after that and we have been very focused on getting her to the Oaks and we were going to try and have one too few rather than have one run too many.

“This race just worked perfectly with her program. She’s trained out at our Barwon Heads property, and it was a good chance for her to get it right after getting it wrong the other day.

“She got a lovely ride from Blake today and travelled well. She’ll learn a lot as that was only her fourth race start and hopefully now, we can head to Flemington.”

Served Cold is raced by the same group that owned Miami Bound who took out the 2019 VRC Oaks.

O’Brien said Served Cold was a natural staying filly and would head to the Oaks at Flemington without another start.

“She’s a very natural staying fully and just has that natural cardio which means she could probably have run 2000 metres at her first start,” O’Brien said.

“She’s had a couple of starts under that to learn a bit about the racing caper and she’s found no problems today with the 2200 (metres).

“Fitness-wise that will be enough for her to go the Flemington and the Oaks.”