The classical Oracle - MC play involves teching Pottery while Oracle is being built. Before that though, there's a bit of a minigame in teching your religion. If an IND civ techs religion very quickly, it basically screams Oracle to all involved. If you do it fast enough (say by skipping wheel for a bit) it might just scare the other IND teams out of the race.
Sometimes you need wheel, but with a river connection to your SouthWest and multiple FPs in view there, you may not need wheel so fast. All depends on scouting. What I'm suggesting is:
BW > Ag > AH > Myst > Med/Poly* > Wheel > Priesthood > Pottery
*That's another discussion with far-reaching effects. I like Meditation just because anyone else racing for Oracle will take Poly, adding ~3t to their plan. Poly provides some nice bulb options later, and speeds the way to Organized Religion.
Sometimes you need wheel, but with a river connection to your SouthWest and multiple FPs in view there, you may not need wheel so fast. All depends on scouting. What I'm suggesting is:
BW > Ag > AH > Myst > Med/Poly* > Wheel > Priesthood > Pottery
*That's another discussion with far-reaching effects. I like Meditation just because anyone else racing for Oracle will take Poly, adding ~3t to their plan. Poly provides some nice bulb options later, and speeds the way to Organized Religion.