Presently continues Oaks path at Caulfield

Dwayne Dunn will ride potential VRC Oaks candidate Presently in the Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield.

Trainer Ken Keys will ask jockey Dwayne Dunn to adopt different tactics aboard Presently when they reunite at Caulfield.

Presently runs in Saturday’s Group Three Ethereal Stakes (2000m), a lead-up race to the VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7.

Keys has had the Oaks in mind for Presently from the time she commenced her second campaign in June.

Saturday’s race, followed by the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 2, will determine whether Keys continues Presently’s path to the Oaks.

“The Oaks has been the plan, we’ve just got to try and get there, or justify getting there,” Keys said.

“She’ll run this week, then in the Wakeful and that will decide if we go to the Oaks.”

Presently is now into her third campaign.

She was outsped on debut when eighth in the fillies division of the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield in February but showed the benefit of that race experience at her next campaign, resulting in three placings, twice in town, the latest over 1800m at Flemington in July.

Presently returned on September 19 to break her maiden status at Sale over 1409m before a last start 12th behind Moonlight Maid in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington on October 5.

That was the first time Dunn had been aboard Presently and Keys said, in hindsight, she was ridden too close.

But the trainer is looking forward to seeing Presently run for the first time at 2000m.

“We were a bit disappointed last start,” Keys said.

“Even though she was second up, I think we rode her too close.

“Dwayne’s now had a sit on her and will know her a bit better now.”

Keys said if Presently does not make it to the Oaks it would not concern him.

“She’ll keep maturing and should keep getting better going forward,” Keys said.