Dear Demi has emulated champion filly Research with a well-deserved Group 1 victory in the Victorian Oaks at Flemington.

Dear Demi (3f Dehere – Shirley by Zabeel) had been a good thing beaten in the G2 Wakeful Stakes last Saturday but won the classic that counted for trainer Clarry Conners and owner John Singleton.

Conners prepared Research to the 1988 Furious Stakes – VRC Oaks double and he was confident his latest star could follow in her footsteps.  “She’s in the same mould as Research,” Connors predicted after Dear Demi won this year’s Furious Stakes at Randwick on September 8.  “The 2500 metres of the Victorian Oaks won’t worry her.”

Dear Demi followed up with losses in the Tea Rose and Flight Stakes in Sydney and the Thousand Guineas and Wakeful Stakes in Melbourne but that didn’t faze Connors.  “She’s had a long campaign but that was the plan,” Connors explained at Flemington.  “My theory worked out – she was rock hard and that helped her beat the local fillies.”

The Oaks winner is by Dehere who also sired 2001 Golden Slipper winner Belle du Jour for Connors and Singo.  Her second dam Merlene won the 1996 Golden Slipper and third dam Bold Promise won the 1991 Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

Dear Demi has an unraced 2yo half-brother named Bear (Encosta de Lago) and a half-sister by Big Brown foaled on September 20.

– Karl Patterson