There’s no better trainer of Oaks fillies than Henry Cecil and the Newmarket trainer has two fancied runners in Friday’s main event at Epsom.
It’s the first weekend of June so it’s the turn of the Epsom Classics to grab the attention of the sporting public. Henry Cecil has won this race five times in the last 15 years, with Lady Carla (1996), Reams of Verse (’97), Ramruma (’99), Love Divine (2000) and Light Shift (2007).
From a total of 11 runners during that time, he has also had a second (Midday, beaten a head by Sariska last year), a third and a fourth so it’s clear that the Newmarket trainer is one to stay the right side of when it comes to this particular race.
Cecil has enjoyed a huge resurgence in recent years. After Love Divine’s win a decade ago, which took his record to four Oaks victories in the space of five years, Cecil went seven more years before he had a single runner. When he did, well it was no real surprise that one of his pair, Light Shift, returned him to his favourite winners’ enclosure once again.
He saddles two in Friday’s Classic, Aviate and Timepiece, both owned by one of racing’s and Cecil’s oldest patrons Khalid Abdullah. Aviate is marginally shorter in the betting but on the evidence of last month’s Musidora Stakes victory at York, she would appear to represent value.
Ridden that day by Eddie Ahern in the absence of suspended stable jockey Tom Queally, Aviate found herself all dressed up with nowhere to go, caught in a pocket on the inside while the race unfolded in front of her.
When the space finally arrived, inside the final furlong, the race looked well and truly over with the Jim Bolger-trained Gold Bubbles having taken a length and a half out of the field. But when asked the question by Ahern, Aviate displayed an exceptional stride and appetite for battle to sprint up the inside and take the spoils. It was the most impressive head victory witnessed this year.
Timepiece had been Cecil’s principal Oaks hope until those trials. Her own dress rehearsal came in the Lingfield Oaks trial when she was outgunned in the closing stages by the relatively unconsidered Dyna Waltz. Her stamina did not appear her strong suit on that occasion so there must be doubts about her on that score around Epsom’s mile and a half.
Elsewhere, the Michael Jarvis-trained Sajjhaa is vying for favouritism despite coming into this Classic on the back of just one run in a maiden. Irrespective of how visually impressive that might have been, she was chased home by a handful of fillies who’ve failed to win from three starts, so there must be a doubt over the level of the form.
Of more interest is Marcus Tregoning’s Rumoush, who was one of those facing an impossible task in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas last month. She was drawn on the far side on that occasion and a change in the weather meant that all the principals came from the stands side, so a literal reading of the form would be ill-advised.
Music Show, Mick Channon’s filly who fought her own battle with Rumoush on the far side at Newmarket, was subsequently a close and fast-finishing third in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh. Rumoush could have the quality but there’s a doubt over whether she can also provide the stamina: by Rahy out of a Mr Prospector mare, she could well be more suited by distances of between 1m-1m2f.
Looking elsewhere in the field, Aidan O’Brien is triple-handed with Remember When, Awe Inspiring and Cabaret. The Ballydoyle maestro has won the Oaks on three occasions with Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001) and Alexandrova (2006), and Remember When is undoubtedly his number one today having finished fourth in the Irish Guineas a couple of weeks back.
However, O’Brien’s record with fillies in recent seasons is unimpressive, so Remember When – still a maiden after three starts – is passed over, as are his two 33/1 rags.
Jim Bolger’s Akdarena has posted two impressive performances at Naas and Navan but she’s a front-runner wearing a visor and tongue-strap. There’s so much baggage there you should run a mile.
Gertrude Bell is possibly over-priced at around the 14/1 mark. John Gosden’s charge has improved with every run and lifted the Cheshire Oaks at Chester last month and the form has been boosted by an impressive success for the runner-up, Acquainted, next time out.
Overall, though, they’ll all have to go a bit to beat Aviate.
JOE’s prediction: Aviate (11/2)
Think you know better? Have your say below. And don’t forget to check back before 12 noon Friday for JOE’s preview of Saturday’s Epsom Derby.
Â
