Trainer Donna Scott was 'over the moon' after Oamanikka was narrowly beaten at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
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Making his city debut, Oamanikka was beaten a head after flashing home late in the $50,000 Benchmark 64 Hcp, (1200m) with apprentice Campbell Rawiller aboard.
Oamanikka will now head to the Country Championships qualifier at Wagga on February 20.
Judging on his city debut, Oamanikka will be among the leading fancies to qualify for the $500,000 Championships final at Randwick on April 3.
In a further bonus for the Scott stable, red-hot hoop Blaike McDougall has committed to riding Oamanikka at Wagga.
McDougall has had one previous ride on the gelding when saluting at Albury late last year.
Scott said she couldn't have hoped for a better performance from Oamanikka in regards to the lead-up to the Country Championships.
"I was over the moon with the run," Scott said.
"I had no real expectations of how he would perform and I was just hoping he wouldn't disgrace himself.
"To get beaten a head was easily a career best performance.
"It's tough enough just being competitive on country tracks in Victoria.
"But to be able to just get beat in the city is a terrific effort even though it was only in Benchmark 64 grade.
"It was the perfect hit-out in regards to a Country Championships point of view and I'm guessing he has to be among the leading fancies for the race now."
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Scott is set to have a four-pronged attack on the $150,000 feature with stablemates Halo Warrior, Bautista and Gottaluvtrucks.
Mathew Cahill has been booked to ride Halo Warrior after combining to win the Championships preview at Albury last week.
John Kissick has picked-up the ride aboard Bautista while Winona Costin is set to partner Gottaluvtrucks.
Scott said Rawiller was lavish in his praise of Oamanikka after partnering the gelding for the first time.
"Campbell said there is still plenty of upside and he is a genuine horse," she said.
"He felt he would be hard to beat next start.
"The stable got a message from Nash Rawiller's manager on Monday that Nash was happy to ride the horse if we made the final.
"So Campbell must have rang his dad to tell him the horse goes alright."
