The G1 Flight Stakes – Victorian Oaks double is on the radar for Dear Demi after her outstanding victory in the G2 Furious Stakes at Warwick Farm.

Dear Demi (3f Dehere – Shirley by Zabeel) came from the second half of the field to defeat Meidung and Jade Marauder on Saturday in a performance that impressed trainer Clarry Conners.  “She’s in the same mould as Research,” he said.  “I’m sure she will get over ground – the 2500 metres of the Victorian Oaks won’t worry her.”

Connors prepared Research to G1 victories in the 1988 Flight Stakes and Victoria Oaks.  Another of his G1 fillies Belle du Jour – the 2000 Golden Slipper winner – was also by Dehere.

Dear Demi won the LR Fernhill Hcp against the colts earlier this year before a second placing in the G1 Champagne Stakes.  A $130,000 graduate of the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions, she is a homebred for Strawberry Hill Stud owner John Singleton.  Second dam Merlene won the 1996 Golden Slipper and third dam Bold Promise won a Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

Winning rider James McDonald also predicted even bigger things as her distances are increased into the future.  “She was brilliant,” McDonald said.  “The harder the fight, the more she gives.  She accelerated brilliantly and held them at bay pretty comfortably.  Bring on the Oaks!”

Dear Demi is by former Australian shuttler Dehere.  He retired to Coolmore’s USA base in 1995 but was sold to stand in Japan four years later.  He returned to Ashford in 2006 and was a regular shuttler to Australia until his sale to Turkey in January 2010.