The $750,000, Group I, Crown Oaks (2500m), the feature of the VRC`s third day of the Emirates Melbourne Cup, saw another historic winner for the carnival when the 2006 Golden Slipper winner Miss Finland stretched out to the Oaks distance with ease.

Miss Finland had won the Vinery Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 18th in a triumph but connections then backed her up in the weight-for-age classic Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 28th and she ran a brave sixth.

It seemed an audacious plan to try again in the Crown Oaks extending her season out after the earlier success and tough Cox Plate assignment, but the filly handled classic distance and strode clear with a brilliant turn of foot.

Mary Goodnight took the field through into the side and back straights with Miss Finland in mid-field. The pace was steady and it was going to be a testing final 400m

Craig Williams on Miss Finland sent the filly forward approaching the 400m and she covered the 600m to the 400m in 10.98s rapidly putting herself into a position to challenge for the lead.

After a slower sectional from the 400m to the 200m of 11.41s Williams was ready as he reached the leader, stablemate Anamato, and he asked Miss Finland to extend. She did so brilliantly and put clear space to the rest.

Danny Beasley on Tuesday Joy (NZ) has been travelling close to Miss Finland until she went to the 200m when he was left flat footed, but he set off after Miss Finland and while Tuesday Joy went past the rest the winner was long gone.

Miss Finland won by 2 1/4L, over Tuesday Joy (Carnegie), with Anamato (Redoute`s Choice) staying on well for third. The time was 2.37.16, the final 600m in 35.27. Fuji Fantasy was fourth and Rena`s Lady fifth. Miss Finland paid $2.80.

"She has gone in six months from winning the Golden Slipper and being the best two-year-old to winning over 1600m and then to 2500m. It has never been done before," said John Messara, managing partner of Miss Finland.

An indicator of the class of Miss Finland was that in the Autumn, today`s sprinting sensation Gold Edition was beaten out of a place by her in the Golden Slipper.

"If you look at Gold Edition today who turned everyone`s heads, it was only six months ago she beat her at her caper sprinting and here she is today winning the Oaks," Hayes said.

"She`s pretty versatile.

"I reckon if you trained her for a Newmarket she could win it and if you set her for a Guineas she could win it and she`s the best filly at a mile and a half," he said.

Hayes broke a duck for the Lindsay Park dynasty by winning the Oaks for the first time, also training third placed Anamato.

"It`s great to win one," he said. "We`ve run very close a few times but to win is a huge thrill."

Jockey Craig Williams was effusive in his praise for Miss Finland, describing her as "the best I`ve ridden."

"Before I came out I told myself she`s a class act," he said.

"She`s a Ferrari and David`s given me the keys to her and she raced accordingly.

"She just purred the whole way round. I pushed the button a little bit early because I know she`s tough and hardy and she demonstrated her authority today and she`s given me a huge thrill," he said.

Hayes is already turning his thoughts to 2007 plans for Miss Finland.

"We`ll probably look at more a specialty mile program", he said. "The Coolmore Classic and maybe the 2000m Group 1 Arrowfield."

"I have a feeling they`ll want her for that," Hayes said with a grin, knowing that John Messara, Miss Finland`s managing part owner would love to win the race sponsored by his Arrowfield Stud.

"We`ll just let her do the Australian thing at three and dominate the scene. I`d love to win a Cox Plate with her.

"Then when she`s done it all here then we`ll travel her. I personally would like to take her overseas at four.

"I`d like to set her for one of the miles at Royal Ascot, the Queen Anne," he said.

"Excellent run, we had our chances," said Danny Beasley.

"I followed the winner everywhere, but she put 3L on me. She has an amazing turn of foot.

"We ran into a champion," he said.

Beasley was subsequently suspended on a careless riding charge after causing interference to Viognier at the 1900m. Since he had not been suspended since February, 2006, he only received a suspension from midnight Saturday until November 24th.

"It was a perfect run in transit. I thought I had won it until Miss Finland went," said Dwayne Dunn, rider on third placed Anamato.

Damien Oliver reported that Sefrah (NZ) pulled up sore after running at the rear until the 400m and then being unable to make up ground along the rail.

"I got back and she peaked at the furlong," said Stephen Arnold, jockey of Ulfah.

The result was another triumph for Messara`s Arrowfield Stud with the winner and third place-getter by their sire Redoute`s Choice.

Miss Finland is out of the Woodman mare Forest Pearl. This was her seventh win, her third Group I with the Slipper and Thousand Guineas, and she has placed three times in second place. She is owned by Arrowfield, John Leaver`s Planette Thoroughbred Trading Syndicate and Belford Productions Syndicate of broadcaster Alan Jones. Stakes are now $3,245,325

The crowd of 104,131, the second biggest Crown Oaks Day attendance, had witnessed an brilliant turn of foot from Miss Finland that placed her well and truly above her rivals, and the autumn now awaits her.

ThoroughbredNEWS