Santa Barbara bids to get back on track in the Pretty Polly Stakes

Santa Barbara in action

Cazoo Oaks preview: All eyes on Santa Barbara at Epsom

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri June 04, 2021 · 5y ago

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Aidan O’Brien is confident Santa Barbara has not yet reached the ceiling of her ability ahead of her second tilt at Classic glory in the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom.

A half-sister to a pair of Breeders’ Cup winners in Iridessa and Order Of Australia, the daughter of Camelot made a big impression when winning on her racecourse debut at the Curragh in September.

Few could have envisaged at that stage she would go off joint-favourite for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on just her second career start, but unusually bullish reports of blistering workouts on the Ballydoyle gallops in the spring saw her price collapse.

Santa Barbara’s supporters were ultimately left counting their losses after the first fillies’ Classic of the season over the Rowley Mile, but she emerged with plenty of credit in finishing fourth and O’Brien has certainly not lost the faith.

O’Brien said: “Santa Barbara is very well. She came out of Newmarket like I hoped she would and everything has gone well since then with her.

“We trained her for Newmarket like it was her first run of the season and we had to be careful. This time we got to train her for a Classic.

“She did very well in Newmarket for a filly only having her second run. She was always very special in her work.

“She ran a big race and showed what she can do. When the ground is quick at Newmarket, it just makes it a little bit more tricky for horses with not a lot of experience. We were delighted with the way she travelled and she showed us the class that she shows us at home.

“It is a risk going into a Classic on only your second run, from a very easy run on softish ground at the Curragh to then go to Newmarket on fast ground. We were really delighted the way she came out of it.

“The Guineas is the Guineas, but you would imagine normal, natural improvement will come. She hasn’t shown us anything in her work to suggest otherwise.”

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Santa Barbara is just one of five runners for O’Brien, who has already won the Oaks on eight occasions.

Snowfall is another leading contender, having made a successful start to her campaign with a front-running victory in the Musidora Stakes at York. With Ryan Moore siding with Santa Barbara, Frankie Dettori comes in for the ride.

O’Brien added: “Snowfall is good. We always thought the world of her last year, which is why we campaigned her in such good races. She was probably a little bit weak, but she’s bred to be a Classic filly and is bred like a filly that could get the trip.

“She wintered very well and Ryan was delighted with her at York.”

Divinely, Willow and La Joconde complete the Ballydoyle quintet. Divinely only finished fourth in the Lingfield Oaks Trial, but has been a significant market mover this week.

“Divinely had a lovely run in Lingfield, probably a lot better than it looked. Ryan was over the moon with her. They went slow, which didn’t suit, but Ryan was delighted with her. Since then all the numbers on her work have been very good.

“All her figures from her works have been coming out very high – that’s usually a very good sign.

“Willow ran in Naas and we think she has progressed nicely. She progressed a lot from the first to Naas and we think she has progressed again.

“We always thought La Joconde was better than she has showed on the track. She hasn’t won her maiden yet, but has always worked a lot better than a maiden.

Saffron Beach gives Jane Chapple-Hyam strong claims of becoming the first woman to train the winner of the Oaks. Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, the daughter of New Bay was narrowly beaten on her return to action in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket before performing best of the British when runner-up to O’Brien’s Mother Earth in the 1000 Guineas.

While a tilt at the Irish Guineas was considered, connections ultimately decided to step up half a mile in distance for a second tilt at Classic glory following a pleasing racecourse gallop at Epsom last week.

Chapple-Hyam said: “The race and the other horses won’t bother her – it will be the crowds as she has never seen a crowd. I will probably put a red hood on her until the start, just because she hasn’t seen a crowd. The way to dot the I’s and cross the T’s is to keep the lid on her as she is strong to lead up.

“It is a big thrill to be part of this, so let’s hope we can go there and do the best.”

Another leading lady of the Flat out to claim a slice of history is Hollie Doyle. The record-breaking jockey will be riding in the race for the first time aboard Archie Watson’s Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Sherbet Lemon.

“We always knew she wanted a trip as she is by Lemon Drop Kid and is out of Famous, who was pretty decent herself, so we knew she was going to have the quality,” said Doyle.

“They had things their own way up front at Lingfield, which was a big help to her being able to do everything in her own rhythm coming down that hill. Whether she will be able to dictate like that around Epsom, I’m not so sure, but we will see.

“She has been around Lingfield and she handled that OK, despite being a bit green – I don’t see Epsom being a massive problem.

“There are a few that you would have doubts about stamina, but Sherbet Lemon does everything right to ensure she gets it. She settles and she travels – I can’t knock her.”

Graham Cunningham looks ahead to the Derby in inimitable fashion

Roger Varian possesses a strong hand, with market principals Teona and Zeyaadah joined by outsider Save A Forest.

Teona was far too keen to do herself justice when strongly fancied for the Musidora Stakes at York, so it testament to her latent ability that she still managed to finish third.

Varian said: “We take the positives out of the Musidora run. These are trials at the end of the day and if you’re going to get things wrong it’s better to do it in the trial than on the big day.

“I think she’s extremely talented and I hope that on the day she won’t make the sort of juvenile mistakes she made at York.”

Zeyaadah lost her unbeaten record when runner-up to Mark Johnston’s Dubai Fountain in the Cheshire Oaks, having endured a troubled passage.

Save A Forest, meanwhile, finished runner-up to Sherbet Lemon at Lingfield.

“I hope she (Zeyaadah) will stay. I suppose she’s not guaranteed to on pedigree, but her running style should give her a chance and she slugged out a Montrose Stakes last year in the style of a filly who we think should stay a mile and a half,” Varian added.

“There’s definitely a bit (of improvement) in the locker. She took an age to come to herself this spring and I only really got happy with her about a fortnight before Chester.

"I’m very happy with Save A Forest’s condition and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see her run a nice race.”

Also in the mix is Hugo Palmer’s Lingfield third Ocean Road, who was another to enjoy a gallop at Epsom last week.

Palmer said: “She is an utterly beautiful filly to look at. She is exceptionally balanced and has beautiful depth.

“She is a half-sister to a dual Group One winner over a mile and a half in Wigmore Hall and she is by a Derby winner (Australia). When you have got all those things, you are dreaming right from the start.

“I’m always a glass half-full kind of person and I try to dream what is the best a horse can be, then we go to Plan B to Z after Plan A hasn’t worked!

“Oisin (Murphy) made his move early (at Lingfield) in the hope he would give the filly time to get there. She got there in four strides, which caught him by surprise.

“She rather used her winning kick on ground softer than ideal, then just didn’t quite get home, but I think she will stay very well.”