by Mike Curry

Riva San regained her top form at an opportune time as the Any Given Sunday filly posted an upset victory in the $384,709 Conrad Farms Queensland Oaks (Aus-G1) on heavy turf at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Rathsallagh and multiple Group 1 winner Heavenly Glow, who defeated Riva San in the Hidden Dragon Doomben Roses (Aus-G3) on May 17, closed willingly in the final strides but Riva San held on to prevail by a neck at 26.70-to-1 odds and earn her first group stakes win for trainer Peter Moody.

"She hasn't had any luck with barriers in big races, but I was still confident she'd run well today, although I'm sure we were all worried about Heavenly Glow," Moody told the Melbourne Herald Sun.

Riva San won the Lindsay Park Morphettville Guineas in September and finished second by a head on November 3 in the Longines Wakeful Stakes (Aus-G2). She finished ninth in the Doomben Roses in her previous start but was beaten by only 1 3/4 lengths and in the Queensland Oaks she turned the tables on Heavenly Glow.

Jockey Scott Seamer, who filled in for injured rider Luke Nolan, reserved Riva San near the back of the 14-horse field in the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) race for three-year-old fillies. Tracking a dawdling pace, Riva San accelerated into contention under Seamer on the backstretch and surged to the lead inside the final 200 meters.

Heavenly Glow loomed boldly in the straight and appeared poised to seize command before flattening out. Rathsallagh was held up in traffic entering the stretch but closed gamely to challenge Riva San, who held on to win in 2:36.46.

Moody, who trains Riva San for a partnership, said she could make her next start in the Queensland Derby (Aus-G1) on June 7.

“She's quite an immature filly, a little light thing and I want to see how she comes through the race,” Moody told the Herald Sun. “It's pretty tempting to go another week to run in the Derby. We'll see in a day or so.”

Trainer Russell Cameron said Rathsallagh, who edged Heavenly Glow by a head for second, is likely to contest the Queensland Derby.

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor