4.05 Epsom
Bettebetterbetter: Travelled notably well first time out
considering time of year (runners from this stable do improve for their debuts)
and probably didn’t have to build on that much to win Dundalk maiden; Sent off
favourite for Cheshire Oaks (proven good trial for this in recent) and ran a
perfectly respectable race to come second on ground that might not have suited,
but form of that race taken two knocks since and didn’t find so much off the
bridle when asked, so others preferred despite family showing improvement with
racing.
Colima: Taking winner of Nottingham maiden and hinted at
even more promise when second to Vow in Lingfield Oaks trial, being held up out
of her ground off what was a slow pace; Made eyecatching move to be clear
second in the straight and should improve for the run; Taking same path as Look
Here did in 2008 and respected, but Vow did beat her very easily despite
hanging and that’s a concern.
Coquet: Made up into staying filly last season with wins at
Wolves and Newmarket, and supplemented that progress when winning the Height Of
Fashion Stakes, winning her race after leader (third in Lingfield Oaks Trial)
shot her bolt very early; Gave 3lbs to runner up that day and should be a
fitter horse now, but that form needs serious improvement.
Devotion: Well beaten in Listed and Group company last year
and once again beaten on first start of this season but did shape as if she’d
like a longer trip to aim at when second (fast closing; previously suffered
interference/bad trip) in Irish 1,000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown; Likely
that she’s a fair better than that but stable has better candidates.
Kaliani: Made hard work of winning her one and only start at
two in Yarmouth maiden but different horse when stepped up in trip at Newmarket
for the Pretty Polly Stakes, romping away with what was an admittedly messy
race late on; Ground different this time and this much harder but can’t dismiss
out of hand
Kissed: Half-sister to last year’s Derby winner Pour Moi;
Won cosily on her debut at Navan as a 2yo but blew that out of water with
Listed romp in Salsabil Stakes, barely coming off the bridle to win by eight
and a half lengths; Form in behind not worked out but second got within a
length of Princess Highway in Blue Wind Stakes so clearly high class and has to
be respected if connections allow her to run (ground concerns).
Maybe: Undisputed champion filly of last year, stepping up
in Grade on each of her 5 starts before winning Group 1 Moyglare Stakes
impressively; Sent off rightful favourite for the 1,000 Guineas on that basis
and while she was third, she was well beaten by runaway winner and stablemate Homecoming
Queen, having travelled well before finding little for pressure; Ahead of major
contented the Fugue that day but doesn’t promise to stay as well as that one
and that result may have changed with different luck in running.
Nayarra: Solid 2yo, although exposed last year and not upto
Group 1 standard in the 1,000 Guineas, when well behind Maybe and The Fugue in
ninth, and too slow in the Height Of Fashion when behind Coquet; Outclassed.
Shirocco Star: Another middle distance name to announce
herself on the fillies stage this year despite the fact that she was edged out
of the Sweetenham Stud trial at Newbury last time out; Should come on for that
(her first run of the season) and interesting at big price given how readily
clear she drew of Guineas 3rd Starscope in that race.
The Fugue: Impressive when travelling much the best in
backend maiden before pulling well away from nicely bred Godolphin maiden in
her own time; Since quickly made up into a Group class filly, coming a staying
on fourth into the 1,000 Guineas (troubled passaged mid race), before fully
underlining her Oaks credentials when slamming Twirl in the Musidora Stakes,
travelling superbly before putting race to bed; All looks set for a massive run
here.
Toptempo: Kept decent company on two starts last season,
finishing fifth behind Lyric Of Light on debut before coming fourth in Listed
company; Third behind decent looking newcomer on seasonal reappearance but
probably not good enough in all likeliness.
Twirl: Deeply impressive winner of maiden (second time of
asking) at Leopardstown last autumn; Probably improved on that with running on
second to Crysanthemum in the Park Express Stakes (given quite a bit to do),
but no match for The Fugue in the Musidora last time and hard to fancy here as
that form shouldn’t be reversed.
Vow: Unbeaten in two starts and could hardly have been any
more taking in either of them, making up tons of ground on debut in testing
ground at Newbury before winning Oaks trial with tons to spare, coming home
three and ¾ lengths clear of Colima despite wandering around several times in
straight; That hanging the main worry around a course such as Epsom, but must
be respected
Was: Another blueblood (closely related to 2008 Derby winner
New Approach and cost 1.2m gns) Really impressive on debut, coming home clear
of stablemate with Coral Wave (since gone onto become a Group horse) back in
fourth; Third in Blue Wind Stakes on her reappearance and should improve from
that given stable’s tendency to have runners come on for debuts, while she had
suffered a hold up at home; Not dismissed out of hand.
Investec Oaks (Fillies' Group 1) (Class 1) (3YO only)
Winner £207,842 - 13 run
Ante – Post: 1 pt each/way The Fugue (20/1 general, 6th May); 1 pt each/way The Fugue (14/1 general, 15th May)
Advice: 1 pt each/way
Shirocco Star (16/1 Bet365), 1 pt each/way Colima (22/1 Sportingbet)
Bettebetterbetter: Travelled notably well first time out
considering time of year (runners from this stable do improve for their debuts)
and probably didn’t have to build on that much to win Dundalk maiden; Sent off
favourite for Cheshire Oaks (proven good trial for this in recent) and ran a
perfectly respectable race to come second on ground that might not have suited,
but form of that race taken two knocks since and didn’t find so much off the
bridle when asked, so others preferred despite family showing improvement with
racing. Colima: Taking winner of Nottingham maiden and hinted at
even more promise when second to Vow in Lingfield Oaks trial, being held up out
of her ground off what was a slow pace; Made eyecatching move to be clear
second in the straight and should improve for the run; Taking same path as Look
Here did in 2008 and respected, but Vow did beat her very easily despite
hanging and that’s a concern. Coquet: Made up into staying filly last season with wins at
Wolves and Newmarket, and supplemented that progress when winning the Height Of
Fashion Stakes, winning her race after leader (third in Lingfield Oaks Trial)
shot her bolt very early; Gave 3lbs to runner up that day and should be a
fitter horse now, but that form needs serious improvement. Devotion: Well beaten in Listed and Group company last year
and once again beaten on first start of this season but did shape as if she’d
like a longer trip to aim at when second (fast closing; previously suffered
interference/bad trip) in Irish 1,000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown; Likely
that she’s a fair better than that but stable has better candidates. Kaliani: Made hard work of winning her one and only start at
two in Yarmouth maiden but different horse when stepped up in trip at Newmarket
for the Pretty Polly Stakes, romping away with what was an admittedly messy
race late on; Ground different this time and this much harder but can’t dismiss
out of hand Kissed: Half-sister to last year’s Derby winner Pour Moi;
Won cosily on her debut at Navan as a 2yo but blew that out of water with
Listed romp in Salsabil Stakes, barely coming off the bridle to win by eight
and a half lengths; Form in behind not worked out but second got within a
length of Princess Highway in Blue Wind Stakes so clearly high class and has to
be respected if connections allow her to run (ground concerns).Maybe: Undisputed champion filly of last year, stepping up
in Grade on each of her 5 starts before winning Group 1 Moyglare Stakes
impressively; Sent off rightful favourite for the 1,000 Guineas on that basis
and while she was third, she was well beaten by runaway winner and stablemate Homecoming
Queen, having travelled well before finding little for pressure; Ahead of major
contented the Fugue that day but doesn’t promise to stay as well as that one
and that result may have changed with different luck in running. Nayarra: Solid 2yo, although exposed last year and not upto
Group 1 standard in the 1,000 Guineas, when well behind Maybe and The Fugue in
ninth, and too slow in the Height Of Fashion when behind Coquet; Outclassed. Shirocco Star: Another middle distance name to announce
herself on the fillies stage this year despite the fact that she was edged out
of the Sweetenham Stud trial at Newbury last time out; Should come on for that
(her first run of the season) and interesting at big price given how readily
clear she drew of Guineas 3rd Starscope in that race.The Fugue: Impressive when travelling much the best in
backend maiden before pulling well away from nicely bred Godolphin maiden in
her own time; Since quickly made up into a Group class filly, coming a staying
on fourth into the 1,000 Guineas (troubled passaged mid race), before fully
underlining her Oaks credentials when slamming Twirl in the Musidora Stakes,
travelling superbly before putting race to bed; All looks set for a massive run
here. Toptempo: Kept decent company on two starts last season,
finishing fifth behind Lyric Of Light on debut before coming fourth in Listed
company; Third behind decent looking newcomer on seasonal reappearance but
probably not good enough in all likeliness. Twirl: Deeply impressive winner of maiden (second time of
asking) at Leopardstown last autumn; Probably improved on that with running on
second to Crysanthemum in the Park Express Stakes (given quite a bit to do),
but no match for The Fugue in the Musidora last time and hard to fancy here as
that form shouldn’t be reversed. Vow: Unbeaten in two starts and could hardly have been any
more taking in either of them, making up tons of ground on debut in testing
ground at Newbury before winning Oaks trial with tons to spare, coming home
three and ¾ lengths clear of Colima despite wandering around several times in
straight; That hanging the main worry around a course such as Epsom, but must
be respected Was: Another blueblood (closely related to 2008 Derby winner
New Approach and cost 1.2m gns) Really impressive on debut, coming home clear
of stablemate with Coral Wave (since gone onto become a Group horse) back in
fourth; Third in Blue Wind Stakes on her reappearance and should improve from
that given stable’s tendency to have runners come on for debuts, while she had
suffered a hold up at home; Not dismissed out of hand.
VERDICT: A quality looking renewal with nearly all the field
having something more to offer on one or more counts. The winner could
currently come from anyone of 10 and not be a complete surprise, but there
seems to be no reason to desert THE FUGUE (backed antepost after the Guineas
and before her Musidora win), who promises to be better over this trip if her
York win over Twirl can be taken literally. It probably can’t given how Twirl
and Aniseed took each-other on, but she still deserves a massive amount of respect
on her 1,000 Guineas run. Maybe was just ahead of her that day, but those
placings might well have been reversed if she hadn’t met interference and Aidan
O’Brien’s charge doesn’t look like a sure fire stayer. The first two from the
Lingfield Oaks Trial also deserve major respect, with Vow looking COLIMA'S superior although the fact that she hung both ways is a serious worry around
here. At the prices the runner up is worth having to your portfolio, with the stronger pace surely a big help and the tactics likely to be reversed in a bid to emulate Look Here;s 33/1 success in the 2008 running of this race. Another two wide margin winners too can be
thrown inton the mix, with Kaliani deserving plenty of respect as the type to be better for a strongly run 1m4f (daughter of Kazzia, who
won this along with the 1,000 Guineas in 1999). With such an open race (and the withdrawal of our second choice Kissed), it might
be best adding a couple of outsiders to the portfolio; SHIROCCO STAR makes most
appeal of that bunch, with Starscope comfortably held in her Newbury trial and
the step up to 1m4f sure to suit (got going too late at Newbury despite having travelled well into the contest) she looks worth having onside at a price that's steadied at around 16/1.
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