Punters sent the rapidly improving Duais to post a heavily backed favourite despite not having raced for seven weeks since finishing in the ATC Oaks at Randwick and she did not disappoint.
Ridden with confidence by Hugh Bowman, Duais came through between horses early in the home straight to race into the lead 200m out and then draw clear to defeat former New Zealand filly Charms Star (Per Incanto), runner-up in the New Zealand Oaks.
It is the third win from nine starts for Duais, pictured winning the Gr3 Adrian Knox Stakes over 2000m at Randwick in April, and marks the first Gr1 win as a trainer for Edward Cummings, brother of Godolphin trainer James, son of Gr1 trainer Anthony and grandson of the legendary Bart Cummings, who father Jim trained a Melbourne Cup winner.
Duais is the third Gr.1 winner this season and one of 14 stakes winners for Gr1 W S Cox Plate winner Shamus Award.
To date Shamus Award has worked with a range of pedigree and has Gr1 Australasian Oaks winner Media Award as well as Gr.2 winner Soul Patch, Gr.3 winner Sovereign Award and Listed winners Enchanted Heart and Flying Award with duplications of Danehill.
Having retired to Widden Stud in New South Wales, Shamus Award is now resident at Rosemont Stud in Victoria where he covered 177 mares last season at an advertised fee of $19,800.
Duais is a half-sister to the Gr3 Sunshine Coast Guineas winner Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince) and to Brisbane winner Amiche (Nicconi).
She is the best winner in the immediate generations of her pedigree with his fourth dam the Canadian Champion Fanfreluche (Northern Dancer), whose 11 wins included the Natalma and Selene Stakes in her native Canada and the Alabama Stakes in North America.
At stud Fanfreluche left the Canadian Champion L’Enjoleur (Buckpasser) and Gr2 winners D’Accord (Secretariat) and La Voyageuse (Tentam), who left US Gr3 winner Time Bandit (Time For A Change) and is the granddam of 1998 Champion UK 2YO Filly Bint Allayl (Green Desert)
Bred and owned by Jean-Louis Lévesque, Fanfreluche was named Canadian Broodmare of the Year in 1978. She is the ancestress of Australian Gr1 winners and Champion sires Flying Spur (Danehill) and Encosta de Lago (Fairy King).