A suspension to Peter Robl has presented Hugh Bowman with a golden opportunity to claim a rare Classic double.

Just days after winning the Victoria Derby on Polanski, Bowman will be out to claim the filly's version of the blue riband when he unites with Arabian Gold in Thursday's VRC Oaks at Flemington.

Bowman picked up the mount on Arabian Gold after her regular hoop Robl copped a 12 meeting suspension for careless riding on Thunder Fantasy in last Saturday's Derby.

"It's interesting how things can work out," he said.

Bowman believes Arabian Gold is the class filly in the field of ten.

"There's probably a little query on the 2500 metre distance but she was still strong at the end of the 2000 in the Wakeful Stakes," he said.

Arabian Gold ($12) finished fourth in the Wakeful and comes up against the winner and placegetters - Kirramosa, May's Dream and Solicit - in the Oaks.

But Bowman pointed out the David Vandyke-trained filly was a proven performer at Group One level having finished fourth to Guelph in the Flight Stakes.

"If you take a line through her form all preparation she's been racing at a higher level than the rest of the field," Bowman said.

This preparation, Arabian Gold has finished second in the Group Two Tea Rose Stakes, fourth in the Group One Flight, won the Listed Ethereal Stakes and was fourth in last Saturday's Wakeful Stakes.

"She's proven at the level, but not proven at the distance, but neither is anything else in the race," he said.

"She has an excellent chance, drawn barrier one and will be hard to beat from there."

Since Jim Cassidy completed the rare Derby-Oaks double in 1987, only Damien Oliver in 2003 has achieved the feat.