STAKES TEST LIKELY FINAL LEAD-UP FOR OUI OUI OUI

OUI Oui Oui may be given the chance to gain black type now that she has qualified for the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final.

Though beaten by $31 outsider Octa De Lago in today’s opening PMC Qualifier (1400m) at her home track, trainer Jason Attard was not disappointed with his $2.45 favorite.

“Our goal today was to qualify her for the Final, and she has done that,” Attard said this evening.

“The winner and my mare beat the others convincingly.

“Seeing as though Oui Oui Oui has qualified, I’ll have a look at the programs and see what is available in the coming weeks.

“There’s still seven weeks to the Final, so obviously she is going to need to race again.

“If there’s a suitable Listed or Group 3 race against her own sex, we might give her the opportunity to try to secure some black type.”

Oui Oui Oui (Tom Sherry), chasing her fourth win on end and racing for the first time since scoring at Randwick in late December, hit the front after straightening, but could not hold off lightly-raced Warwick Farm four-year-old Octa De Lago (Dylan Gibbons), who clinched his third success at his ninth start.

The first two qualifiers were lengths ahead of leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ pair Miss Busslinger ($8) and last year’s Final third placegetter Imposant ($8.50).

Attard is adamant Oui Oui Oui will take improvement from today’s run, and believes she can stretch out to 1600m at some stage of her career.

“She is definitely looking for a mile, but we probably won’t try that until next preparation,” he said.

“Oui Oui Oui is unbeaten from two starts at Randwick, and she is going to be suited there in the Final.”

Bookmakers reacted to today’s result by easing Oui Oui Oui from $6 to $8 for the Final, but she still retains favoritism, along with last year’s winner Matcha Latte.

Octa De Lago was a noticeable shortener, and is now quoted at $15.

Whilst Attard qualified Oui Oui Oui, he also is keen to add a “second string” to his Final bow.

He plans to start stablemate Cryptonic in Saturday week’s second 1400m Qualifier at Newcastle.

“Cryptonic has won at Newcastle, and this next Qualifier is restricted to provincial-trained horses,” Attard said.

Though Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer missed out first time around qualifying Just In Time (sixth at $6.50 after the mare found it hard to make ground on the inside in the straight), he is likely to head back to Hawkesbury with her on March 7 for another 1400m Qualifier, this time for provincial horses only.

Deamer didn’t return home empty-handed, winning the closer, the F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m), with newcomer Spaceballs (Zac Lloyd).

Spaceballs ($6), having her first start since being transferred from Ciaron Maher, races in the same Dynamic Syndications colours as Just In Time.

The updated PMC Final market is:

8 Matcha Latte, Oui Oui Oui

9 Banjora

11 Hyperbolic, Lord Of Biscay, Meridiana

15 Damien, Imposant, Lady Extreme, Miss Spacegirl, Octa De Lago

STORY JOHN CURTIS, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS