The 2004 G1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks (2000m) will be the 23rd running, of what is a relatively new race on the Australian racing calendar.

Rose Of Kingston won the inaugural running in 1982, then a G3 race, but since then the race has had G1 status.

The daughter of Claude (ITY) had won the G1 VRC Oaks (2500m) in the spring and then went on to win the G1 AJC Derby at Randwick, a rare occurrence.

The race has produced Caulfield Cup winners in Imposera (1988) and Mannerism (1991), the latter a much discussed winner, after Veandercross scouted wide nearing the turn and was sensationally outbobbed on the post.

Broodmare gems abound from the race with Our Tristalight (NZ), by Sir Tristram (IRE) out of the top sprinting racemare Tudor Light (NZ), going on to produce sire son Danske (NZ).

Our Tristalight (NZ) would go on and complete the double in 1993 by taking out the G1 South Australian Oaks (2500m) as well.

Episode in 1999 is the only other so far to achieve the Oaks double in South Australia.

Tristalove (NZ) won the Australasian Oaks in 1994 and the daughter of Sir Tristram (IRE) has left Viking Ruler (G1 Spring Championship Stakes, 2000m), now at stud, and the speedy mare Diamond Like.

Mannerism would leave the dual G2 winner Dandify and the dual G3 winner Manner Hill.

The G1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks forms the second leg of the fillies Triple Crown, which starts with the Lakewood Stud Stakes (1800m) and ends with the SA Oaks (2500m).

The David Hall trained Episode is the only filly to take out the Triple Crown, which she achieved in 1999.

The form usually stacks up for the Queensland winter carnival too, with Episode and Tempest Morn running second in the Oaks there, after their successful South Australian campaigns, while the latter filly also finished second in the G1 Derby.

Tempest Morn finished second in the Queensland Oaks to Ethereal, which went on to win the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double the following season.

The Lakewood Stakes is always a solid guide but newcomers from interstate often just target the two Oaks races.

Some of the big names of training have won the Australasian Oaks including Bart Cummings (Our Tristalight, 1993), Hayes stable (Leica Smile, 1996 and Tristalove, 1994), Lee Freedman (Grand Echezeaux, 2000 and Gatherneaux, 1992), Colin Alderson (La Volta, 1998), David Hall (Episode, 1999) and Gai Waterhouse (Tempest Morn, 2001).

John Hawkes has yet to win the race.

Last year saw Sound Action win the Schweppes Oaks easily with a dazzling turn of foot up the home straight to bolt in and give her Colac trainer Roberta Maguire a first G1 success.

It was also a first G1 for rider Wayne Hokai.

Sound Action would go onto greater heights and capture the G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at the Sydney autumn carnival as a four-year-old mare.