Sheikh Mohammed-owned Roobeena will step out in the second event at Geelong on Tuesday after finishing runner up on debut in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day last year.
The 3-year-old filly by Exceed and Excel dons the very familiar colours of Australia’s best maiden Oohood, however will ironically more than likely break the duck egg before her stable mate. The Geelong maiden looks perhaps one of the biggest mismatches of the year, after Roobeena was beaten just over a length by Setsuna on debut before an impressive run behind Prairie Fire in listed company earlier in the year.
The promising filly will be looking to bounce back from a forgetful run at Moonee Valley last time out when she comes back from an extended spell against genuine maiden horses, enjoying a huge drop in class and up against much weaker company on paper.
Roobeena in fact has run the 1100m trip almost 2 seconds faster than any time recorded by any other horse over the same distance, Tony McEvoys runner clocking 63.92 at Ballarat, followed by Brave Lady who ran 65.36 over the same distance at the same track.
Street Boss filly Vescio will also make her debut in the same race, ideally drawn with Damien Oliver to ride after winning a Flemington jump out on the 3rd of August.
