Extraordinary assault on Blue Riband heats

RECORD-BREAKING horsewoman Emma Stewart will launch an extraordinary assault on the Victoria Oaks.

Heats of the time-honoured feature are due to be run at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night, with 31 quality fillies to compete in three qualifiers.

With multiple runners in each heat, Stewart has 12 members of her all-conquering stable vying for a berth in next week's Blue Riband.

Stewart is no stranger to success in the Group One, having captured three of the past 10 editions.

Stewart's initial win was in 2012 thanks to Beauty Secret, with Miss Graceland following suit in 2017 before Ladies In Red was triumphant last year.

"The Oaks is a race we always take aim at and this year we have a pretty good hand in the heats," Stewart said. "It would be great to see as many of them as possible through to the Final."

The opening heat will see the in-form Petillante clash with her highly-touted stablemate, Encipher, with the pair to be joined by Heavenly Sign and Star Celebrity.

Winner of her last six starts, Petillante will begin from barrier two, with Encipher - which was a first-up winner last week - drawn three.

Encipher made a cameo appearance to secure the South Australia Oaks at Globe Derby in May.

Jo An Jo, Larvotto Beach, Our Little Jet and Rich Beauty will take their positions in the second heat, with Jo An Jo faring best from the pole.

Queensland Oaks winner Soho Historia will then chase her seventh consecutive win as her stablemates Beach Life, Sergios Rocket and Talk Time seek to end her streak.

To be driven by Mark Pitt, Soho Historia faces a tough task from the inside of the second row.

"Obviously we have a mixture of draws and a mixture of chances," Stewart said. "Each one is capable of winning with the right run as are most of the others in the heats.

"We'll just have to see how it pans out and then regather for the Final."