Horseplay excites Andrew Balding ahead of Oaks

The Cape Cross filly propelled herself into the Classic picture when running out a game winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket's Guineas meeting.

Horseplay had previously won one of her two juvenile starts and Balding was pleased to get another racecourse spin into his Oaks hopeful.

Horseplay was partnered by Oisin Murphy as she worked in company with six-year-old Elbereth, who was second in Group Two company last time and also holds two engagements at the Derby meeting.

Balding said: "I'm very happy with Horseplay.

"She looked around a little bit, but she picked up well and Oisin was happy with her.

"We didn't want to overdo it as were not that far away from the race.

"Elbereth, the lead-horse, is no slough and has entries in the Coronation Cup and Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

"She is in the form of her life having finished a good second in the Dahlia, having made the running."

Murphy felt the track presented few problems for Horseplay and was more than satisfied by her gallop.

He said: "We galloped her on grass about a month ago and she worked nicely, then she won at Newmarket nicely, not by a decisive margin, but it was on good to firm ground over a mile and a quarter.

"She is obviously not ground dependent and I thought she handled the track as well as any others that I have ridden here, so that is very positive.

"She was on top of Elbereth at the line and she took a bit of pulling up without pressing any buttons."

Horseplay was the only Oaks contender to work at Epsom, but trainer John Gosden was at the track and confirmed he will be double-handed in the 12-furlong Classic.

Gosden plans to run Enable and Coronet as his Musidora Stakes winner Shutter Speed will be heading to the Prix de Diane in France next month.

Enable won the Cheshire Oaks at Chester, beating the Aidan O'Brien-trained Alluringly to book her Epsom ticket, while Coronet was last seen finishing third in the Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville earlier this month.

Gosden said: "Enable and Coronet are both looking like they are going to run at Epsom.

"I have been happy with Enable since Chester, she put in a fine performance there and handled the track well.

"Coronet was slowly away in the Saint-Alary, but she finished very strongly to grab third on the line."

Alluringly was a length and three-quarters behind Enable at Chester and she is set to be one of two runners for O'Brien along with 1000 Guineas second Rhododendron.

The Ballydoyle handler said: "The plan is to go there with Rhododendron and Alluringly."

American trainer Kenny McPeek is running Daddys Lil Darling in the Investec Oaks as well and was on hand at Epsom Downs to talk about the transatlantic challenge.

He said: "She is a really strong-galloping filly. I have my own gallops on my farm and we spent a lot of time early in her career on grass gallops. 

"She handles it really well and actually relaxes better on grass. I also think she will handle a mile and a half.

"Timing-wise, we really want to win a Group 1 with her and the woman who owns her is a breeder and as such you want that.

"There is no Group 1 opportunity in America now until the Alabama (run in mid-August at Saratoga) so we thought let's go to the Oaks.

"You all come and take our money all the time and we should really travel in this direction more. The history of Epsom Downs is really what attracts me - Nick Cheyne, Stephen Wallis and I walked this course back in 2003 and I ruined a perfectly good pair of shoes that day because it had been raining.

"Then we went over and walked Ascot - that was during a six-hour lay-over at Heathrow so I have always dreamt of coming back. The better horses I get, the more you will see me.

"Daddys Lil Darling has been very unlucky with the draw. She drew the 14 in the Breeders' Cup and she gets annihilated in the turn yet she keeps coming. She does not quit.

"She got delayed on her flight - she was supposed to leave yesterday and be here this morning - she is now scheduled to leave Alabama today on a direct flight to Stansted. She will handle that well.

"She is going into Jim Boyle's yard here at Epsom which we are excited about and appreciate him hosting us. I really wanted her to be close to the racecourse because she needs schooling in the paddock and to see the scenery. I did not want to be training on Warren Hill at Newmarket.

"She will get a chance of settling in and doing her thing - hopefully she shows well. Olivier Peslier is going to ride her. Julien Leparoux rode her last time.  I was kind of conflicted about who to use here. I did not want to bring an American rider because of the difference of the course. I really felt that the jockey needed to know the course more than the horse.

"Olivier is going to come and get on her beforehand - it looks like Friday or Saturday. We will give her a little gallop then. 

"She is a half-sister to Mongolian Saturday, who won the Breeders' Cup Sprint Turf, but is a longer, lankier type filly."