THE OAKS HAS thrown up some great races and supremely talented fillies in the past few years, and today’s renewal looks set to be another thrilling encounter.
Featuring the winner of the English and Irish 1000 Guineas through Blue Bunting and Misty For Me respectively, as well as most of the successful trialists, the Oaks will be ran with all the main protagonists on stage.
Godolphin’s Blue Bunting is the morning favourite after surprising connections with her speed over a mile in the Newmarket classic. The filly was always viewed as an Oaks type by her trainer, and was run in the Guineas as a prep run for today’s event. However, a tail wind helped make that race more of a test of stamina and the further step up in trip will undoubtedly play to her favour.
As ever Aidan O’ Brien appears to have a strong hand. Of his four-strong contingent Misty For Me and Wonder of Wonders have the strongest form claims. The former claimed her third overall Group One victory with an impressive effort at the Curragh last time out, and although she has yet to run beyond a mile, the style of her racing and pedigree gives hope that today’s trip of a mile-and-a-half will be within her range.
Wonder of Wonders had a lot of good judges purring after bolting up in the Cheshire Oaks and is another immaculately bred filly. With only four career starts to her name she is relatively inexperienced for such an occasion, but the booking of Kieran Fallon will help offset that disadvantage.
Michael Stoute’s Havant ran a fine race in sixth in the Guineas and the step-up in trip should help bring about some improvement. Of those at bigger prices, Dancing Rain strikes as a three-year-old that will appreciate a strongly-run race after pulling too hard in her previous run.
Elsewhere on the card, the Coronation Cup appears to be a match between Midday and St Nicholas Abbey.
Midday has had only one run in all-sex races, but has been one of the most talented mares around since her second over course and distance in the Oaks here in 2009. With five group ones to her name her class cannot be denied, and after an excellent win in a Group Two in York on her seasonal debut she appears to be as good form as ever.
St Nicholas Abbey was a single figure bet to win the Triple Crown after an exciting juvenile career, but his career was put on hold as a three-year-old following injury and a disappointing show in the first classic of the year. An underwhelming comeback run at the Curragh raised doubts as to whether he had trained on as four-year-old, but a wide margin win at Chester last month showed that at least the majority of his old verve remains.
Nap of the Day
Although she has tended to avoid clashes with the men, Midday is one of the best middle-distance horses in training. Wins over talented fillies such as Stacelita and Snow Fairy are excellent barometers of her ability, and she can overcome her latest challenge today.
St Nicholas Abbey’s last run was visually impressive but the actual form of the race is dubious given the standard of competition and manner in which the race was won. He is a talented horse, but it is always difficult to come back from a year on the sidelines and it may be that will never quite confirm his juvenile promise.
While 6/4 is not a huge price, it appeals given that course and distance will be no problem to her, and she has the pleasure of being the highest-rated horse in the field while receiving a weight-for-sex allowance.
Each-Way
Misty For Me appears to be overpriced in the Oaks at 8/1. While she hasn’t run over today’s distance, that hasn’t stopped previous winners in the past decade who used the Guineas as a successful springboard to launch an attack.
A juvenile Group One win over a mile on soft ground points to a reserve of stamina and she didn’t seem to be running out of gas at the line last time at the Curragh.
While the booking of Kieran Fallon for Wonder of Wonders may seem like an indication that filly is first-choice, it is not that simple for Ballydoyle this term and Seamie Heffernan has struck up a fine relationship with his charge.
Misty For Me has the most class over a mile of any of these runners and at 8/1, it’s worth chancing that she will handle today’s step-up in trip given her pedigree and the courage she has shown to date.
