Investec Oaks: Friday In Bloom

[Wandering Eyes]

Aidan O’Brien is back on his happy hunting ground on Friday, with Epsom’s G1 Investec Coronation Cup and G1 Investec Oaks within his grasp yet again as Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) occupy favouritism in the features. Pink Dogwood, named after the vibrant flower which is such an emblem in Virginia, has been prepared for Classic germination with all of her trainer’s famous steady precision and the recent market confidence speaks volumes. Ballydoyle’s tally of Oaks winners since Shahtoush (Ire) (Alzao) first struck in 1998 have come in all guises, from Group 1-winning juveniles to those who failed to score at two, so it is safe to say if O’Brien is happy he has one with the correct credentials it is enough for the yard’s plethora of supporters.

Beaten 10 lengths by Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) when second on debut in a decent seven-furlong conditions race at The Curragh in August, the full-sister to last year’s G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Ire) held a relatively low profile in comparison with some of her stablemates at two. Her return saw a straightforward success in a solid edition of the Listed Salsabil S., an increasingly important Irish Oaks trial, over 10 furlongs at Naas on Apr. 28 and she gives the impression there is a lot to come.

“We loved her last year–we always thought she was going to be a middle-distance filly and we always thought she was going to be our main Oaks filly,” O’Brien said as he looks for an eighth renewal. “She was only just ready to start when she won at Navan and that was a slowly-run race. She has come forward from that.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum has won this three times and has a live chance in Maqsad (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who beat the subsequent listed-placed Twist ‘N’ Shake (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a mile maiden at Newmarket’s Craven meeting on Apr. 16 before handing a five-length beating to the useful yardstick Shambolic (Ire) (Shamardal) in the Listed Pretty Polly S. over an extra two furlongs back there on May 5. Her pedigree leans much more towards the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Prix de Diane, being a granddaughter of the 2001 heroine of that Chantilly Classic in Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), but her shrewd connections have opted to stretch her to this mile and a half.

“I think William Haggas has made no secret that she is very effective over a mile and a quarter, but he doesn’t know if she will be as effective over a mile and a half,” the owner’s racing manager Angus Gold said. “She is by a fast horse who does get them to stay and there is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side, so she might well stay further. Whether she will be as effective at that trip, only time will tell. She has shown a lot of improvement and she has plenty of scope. She is a big, tall filly, so the track is not sure to suit her and that is another imponderable. But as every jockey says, if the horse is travelling they generally handle the track.”

Friday’s renewal genuinely has the “Frankel factor”, with the Gosden duo of Mehdaayih (GB) and Anapurna (GB) and Maqsad’s stablemate Frankellina (GB) lining up with sound credentials. Frankel has imparted more stamina than expected and it may be that these Epsom Classics are a better fit for his progeny than the Newmarket ones. Mehdaayih showed rare dash on rain-softened ground at the end of the May 8 Listed Cheshire Oaks, while Anapurna has mastered similar undulations to these when defying greenness as a dominant winner of the May 11 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial.

Frankellina, who carries the increasingly lucky Oppenheimer silks, lost significant ground at the start of the May 15 G3 Musidora S. and was denied a neck in York’s premier trial, so could hardly have shown more promise on only her second career start. “If she’d won the Musidora, there wouldn’t have been a question about running,” jockey James Doyle said reflecting on connections’ late decision to take the plunge. “It’s a wide-open race and her work has improved since. It needed to have, but hopefully she can run a big race. She’s done some gate work since York and is fine, so we can ignore that [slow-starting] factor.”

Long a supporter of British racing, ABBA legend Benny Andersson is living up to the sentiment of the group’s “I Have a Dream” with his exciting homebred Lavender’s Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). She was a neck second to the smart Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) in Newbury’s Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial over 10 furlongs on May 18, travelling like the best filly for much of that race. Only undone late on by a slightly quicker rival, she will have to be a quick learner in the mold of the 2005 Oaks heroine Eswarah (GB) (Unfuwain) if she is to prevail here.

Of the remaining Irish contingent, His Highness The Aga Khan’s Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) needs to improve off her Salsabil third and success in the G3 Blue Wind S. at Naas on May 11, where Ballydoyle’s potential pacemaker Delphinia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was only a rallying length away in third and Peach Tree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a further short head back in fourth. Another from Rosegreen, Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), is surprisingly the only representative of the G1 1000 Guineas form this year and she was last of the 15 runners in that May 5 Newmarket Classic. Partnered by the stable’s superdeputy Wayne Lordan, last year’s G2 May Hill S. winner has similar credentials to the yard’s 50-1 shock 2015 heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was also last in her Guineas.

Friday’s Coronation Cup features the aforementioned G1 St Leger hero Kew Gardens who bids to extend Aidan O’Brien’s record of eight wins since Yeats (Ire) got the ball rolling in 2005. Second on his return behind Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the May 9 G3 Ormonde S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Chester, he faces a deeper field than has been assembled for this race in some time. Morando’s trainer Andrew Balding believes King Power Racing’s 6-year-old would be better on the slower surface he enjoyed last time. “He’s in good form, but we all know he would prefer some give in the ground and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get that,” he said. “I think he wants softer ground to be at his best, but there’s some excellent prize-money on offer and I’m hopeful he might be capable of getting a place.”

Godolphin’s Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was fifth in the Leger, but thrived in Meydan this spring when collecting the Mar. 9 G2 Dubai City of Gold and Mar. 30 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. “We have been pleased with Old Persian’s preparation and the ground should be perfect for him as he has shown a high level of form on a quick surface,” Charlie Appleby said. “He has progressed nicely from three to four and a performance similar to the one he produced in the Dubai Sheema Classic will make him a major player. If anything, we feel that Old Persian might have become quicker this year and the way he travels through his races suggests that Epsom Downs will play to his strengths.”

‘TDN Rising Star’ Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was second in the Doncaster Classic in September on only her fourth career start and needs this trip as she demonstrated when a workmanlike winner of the G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10 furlongs at York on May 16. In the Groove (GB) (Night Shift) was the last filly to beat the colts here in 1991 and the Lloyd-Webbers’ homebred has yet to prove that she is up to this kind of test. “Lah Ti Dar was running over very much a minimum trip at York, but she got the job done,” commented trainer John Gosden.

Having pushed Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in last year’s edition, Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) warrants respect especially after a much-needed confidence-boosting seven-length success in the Listed Buckhounds S. at Ascot on May 11. “That win can only have helped,” trainer Sylvester Kirk commented. “It shows he’s retained all his vim and vigour. Physically, we are very happy with him and he’s bouncing at home.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s May 4 G2 Jockey Club S. winner Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) and The Fairy Story Partnership and Aziz Kheir’s Apr. 13 G3 John Porter S. winner Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) add ballast to a tough edition.

Elsewhere on Friday’s Epsom card, the Investec Woodcote EBF S., which was formerly a listed prize, sees Charlie Appleby’s taking Wolverhampton debut scorer Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) and seven other juveniles come in for the culture shock of the Surrey venue’s five-furlong roller-coaster. That stable also puts forward ‘TDN Rising Star’ Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the seven-furlong Listed Investec Surrey S. against Michael Pescod’s G1 2000 Guineas eighth Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}).

The draw for Sunday’s G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club was also made on Thursday, with the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) having to navigate an unfavourable outside stall in 14. Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ is sandwiched between Ballydoyle’s Cape of Good Hope and Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Listed Fairway S. winner Raise You (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is in stall eight, while the impressive Listed Prix de Suresnes scorer Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is in five, next to Surfman in six.

His Highness Aga Khan and Alain de Royer Dupre have opted to take a chance on Sunday’s ParisLongchamp maiden winner Zarkallani (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who was running over 10 furlongs for the first time when off the mark by four lengths. The son of the brilliant champion Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) is a half-brother to G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who despite finishing second in this three years ago was reportedly never at his most comfortable at this venue. “It’s true to say that it isn’t in my nature to run my horses a week later,” the normally more patient de Royer-Dupre said. “However, sometimes you need to dare to dream and his entourage are in agreement with me that he should run.”

De Royer-Dupre knows what it takes to win this Classic, having trained six winners with the important sire influence Darshaan (GB) beginning the process in 1984. “The colt is in an ideal condition for a big race such as the Prix du Jockey Club,” added the trainer who brought two other unexposed types to win in Reliable Man (GB) and Darsi (Fr). “He had an easy race last Sunday, which proved akin to nothing more than a training gallop for him. Furthermore, he has come out of the race in the manner of a colt who has had a morning workout. He seems more relaxed after this race. We believe that he is entitled to take his chance in a race of this magnitude. He has run three times and therefore has little experience. However, we’re aware that even with more experienced types, things can go wrong. There is the question mark ranging against him on how he will cope with the pre-race parade, but we aren’t a unique case in this sense. If everything pans out, I believe that he can give a good account of himself.”

The post Investec Oaks: Friday In Bloom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article