It's Mehdaayih for Mike Cattermole in the Investec Oaks. Check out his full preview of the Epsom card.
John Gosden has had a couple of rare setbacks recently with the defeats of stable stars Too Darn Hot and Calyx, but he can bounce back and claim another Classic with Mehdaayih in Friday’s Investec Oaks.
A win for the daughter of Frankel would not only be a first domestic Classic for the sire but also a first and deserved Group One for Rab Havlin who has been such a long-standing and valuable asset for the stable.
Havlin has been on board Mehdaayih for her last four starts, including all three of her wins and knows her well, which is probably why Frankie Dettori is on Anapurna who won the Lingfield Oaks Trial by an easy six lengths from Tauteke but has yet to tackle faster ground.
Mehdaayih also bolted up in her trial, of course - the Cheshire Oaks, showing a great turn of foot as she pulled wide and drew clear of Manuela De Vega (gave 3lb) to win by four and a half lengths. Manuela De Vega suffered a poor run on the inside by comparison but it is hard to imagine her reversing this form, even at level weights. Her trainer Ralph Beckett has won the Oaks twice, however.
That win was of course on soft ground but, unlike her stablemate, she has form on a fast surface as well and won at Yarmouth last October, narrowly from Fanny Logan - who was given a bigger beating at Chester – with Maqsad who was over four lengths behind in third.
That said, Maqsad put up arguably the most impressive trial of the lot when she barely came off the bridle to take the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket. She looked very good indeed over that straight 10f but this is a totally different test.
The third there, I’ll Have Another, was beaten nine lengths and went on to finish a respectable sixth, beaten three and three quarter lengths in the Musidora at York. Maqsad is a fascinating contender and massively respected but she was beaten by Mehdaayih at two.
Interestingly, of the first three at York, both the winner Nausha and dead-heat second Entitle (trained by Gosden) miss the Oaks but the other joint runner-up, Frankellina, the stablemate of Maqsad, takes her chance.
Having missed the break at York, and coming into the race with a far from ideal preparation, she could take some big steps forward here and still offers a bit of value at around 16-1 each-way.
The other thing to consider with her is that Fresnel, beaten a length and a half in fourth in the Musidora, had been given a similar beating by Pink Dogwood at Navan (with the likeable Tarnawa in third) and yet Aidan O’Brien’s filly heads the market at around 5-2.
Being a full sister to Irish Derby winner Latrobe, Pink Dogwood should benefit from tackling the trip here but is yet to race on quick ground but even though she is trained by the man who has won this race seven times, overall she has something to prove.
O’Brien has won the Coronation Cup eight times in the past 14 runnings and Kew Gardens is favourite to improve that incredible record even further.
Kew Gardens did this writer a favour when winning the St Leger last September, having too much staying power for Lah Ti Dar. He was a model of consistency last season but the one blot on his record was on this course when he could manage only ninth in the Derby.
The most obvious alternative is his old rival Old Persian who beat him in the Great Voltigeur at York but was receiving 2lb and they are closely matched on that. Old Persian didn’t seem to stay when fifth in the St Leger but he bounced back to beat a top international line-up in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.
A fast surface suits him well and with conditions in his favour he looks sure to go close with Lah Ti Dar also respected.
Marmelo, the Melbourne Cup runner-up, is worth a mention and could outrun his 20-1 odds.
Remember, a decent run from him would be a pointer to the chances of Telecaster in the big one!
SELECTIONS:
3.10 OLD PERSIAN
4.30 1st. MEHDAAYIH, 2nd Maqsad, 3rd Frankellina
