RACING FORUM

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:32 am**

Meanwhile, Damien Oliver has been confirmed as the rider for Queensland Oaks winner Provocative (Zabeel-Betwixt, by O'Reilly) when she kicks off her spring campaign in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday, reports NZ Racing Desk. Trainer Tony Pike said Provocative had good residual fitness from her Queensland winter campaign and the Heatherlie Stakes was a suitable race to commence the preparation. "The 1700m is short of her best but she'll settle back in the field and I'm expecting her to close the race off nicely," Pike said. "If she could run in the top six and be hitting the line well, then that will set her up for the Naturalism over 2000 metres second-up next month." Provocative's primary spring targets are the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on 15 October and the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Tuesday, 1 November.