John Gosden was keen to get Legacy Link used to Tattenham Corner at the Betfred Derby Festival gallops morning on Tuesday.
The daughter of Dubawi won the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York on her first start at three after racing three times as a juvenile including when fourth in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.
She has not raced at Epsom, however, but Colin Keane reported that she handled the camber well as he took her for a gentle spin around the Downs.
Gosden said: "That’s the key thing of coming here, I learnt that a long time ago. I came with three horses in 1977 from Ballydoyle. I was told to go out the day before the race and canter them down the hill, a good canter.
"I came with The Minstrel, Valinsky and Be My Guest, all running in The Derby. So I thought if Vincent O’Brien does it… it’s a hard thing to rehearse anywhere else, Tattenham Corner. Left-handed and downhill, it’s not the normal way you work horses.
"She’s a Musidora winner and she did that well and she showed a good attitude. The extra distance seemed to suit her. Her mother stayed, she was with us, a mile and a half. Obviously she’s a Dubawi, who isn’t known for stamina, but she seemed to kick on strongly in the latter part of the Musidora.
"I thought they were two nice fillies. They started racing a little early that day. They started three and four furlongs down and at York that’s a long way to start racing. She finished well and we’ve been pleased with her since.
"We thought when she ran in the Fillies’ Mile last year at Newmarket, she ran on in the last part and we thought if we’ve got an Oaks filly it’s her. Hopefully, we’ll be there on the day."
Legacy Link is a 100/30 chance with Sky Bet and Paddy Power for the Betfred Oaks and Gosden thinks both Classics are shaping up well ahead of the races on June 5 and 6.
He continued: "It looks an exciting Oaks, let alone an exciting Derby.
"You’ve got depth in the field in both which is what it is all about.
"It’s the beginning of June, three-year-olds going a mile and a half for the first time. The puzzle unlocks in front of you, but before the race it’s hard to be dogmatic.
"I’m not a good tipster! Obviously what Aidan’s bringing, but I thought the Dante winner was impressive, a light-framed horse quickened away well, I should think he’ll handle this track very nicely. And I thought the Lingfield trial was a very solid trial.
"That certainly teaches you a bit about cambers there. To that extent I can see those two trials standing up well to make it an exciting Derby."
Saxon Street misses Derby and heads to Ascot
Gosden won't be represented in the Betfred Derby after ruling Saxon Street out of the race.
The son of Saxon Warrior was only third in Saturday's Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood and will instead be aimed at the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
"He’s Ascot bound," Gosden said. " This is not a race you come shooting from the hip at. We’ve been lucky enough to win the race twice and have seconds, thirds and fourths in the Derby, but you know what is required.
"It wouldn’t have suited him at this stage. He’s still lightly-raced, it would all come a bit too soon for him. Trip-wise we might’ve been fine, but not how they run a Derby, they’re not exactly going to hang about."
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