Winning Ways an appropriate Queensland Oaks scorer for Paul Makin

There was a poignant outcome to Saturday’s Queensland Oaks as Winning Ways provided a suitable epitaph to her late owner Paul Makin.

The red, blue and white colours of Makin have been carried high for many years through the likes of Starcraft, a winner of Group 1s in both Australia and the Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes when transferred to Luca Cumani.

A successful gambler, as well as an owner-breeder who also produced the Irish Oaks scorer Chicquita, he died last week aged 82.

Makin maintained a close link with trainer Garry Newham, who initially conditioned Starcraft, and sent him Winning Ways after her $110,000 purchase by Dermot Farrington under the owner’s Paulyn Investments banner at the 2017 Magic Million sales on the Gold Coast.

The daughter of Declaration Of War out of Galileo mare Skip Along would have made a handsome addition to his broodmare band as she has now won seven out of her 13 career starts.

On what appears to have been a well-hatched long-term plan, Winning Ways showed plenty of determination down the home straight at Doomben to claim her first Group 1 by a whisker from Dawson Diva.

"Paul brought me back to racing when he trusted me with this beautiful filly, I was driving trucks,” Newham told Racing.com.

"He's been amazing to me and I hope we've done him and his family proud.

"I said to Paul six to eight months ago we'll win the Oaks with this filly and after her run in The Roses he said to me 'you’re right she will win the Oaks'.

"I had a lot of confidence in her today, having the race away from Eagle Farm probably dented my hopes a little bit, but I'd always set her for this race."

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