Lightly raced filly Strictly Business delivered a fairy-tale result at Flemington on Thursday, storming home to win the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) for Irish pair Thomas Carberry and John Allen.

Having only her fourth career start, Strictly Business continued her rapid rise just 13 days after breaking her maiden at Ballarat.

She enhanced her staying credentials when a strong second in the Wakeful Stakes last Saturday, prompting Carberry to press on.

“This was always a target, even when she was still learning,” Carberry said.

“She’s just kept improving and we knew once she got to 2500m, she’d be right in the finish.”

Strictly Business ($7.50) raced clear in the final 200 metres, beating The Pearls ($8), with After Summer ($31) running on into third.

Favourite Getta Good Feeling ($1.80F), who defeated the winner in the Wakeful, appeared poised to challenge before weakening late to run sixth.

For Allen, the victory held personal significance.

“Tom’s done it the hard way,” Allen said.

“He rides his own trackwork, manages a small team — to get an Oaks winner so soon is a massive achievement.”

The win added to Ballarat’s booming spring, coming two days after the local triumph of Half Yours in the Melbourne Cup.

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