CONCERT HALL’s Salsabil Stakes form received a massive boost when Navan fourth Tranquil Lady came out and won Saturday’s Blue Wind Stakes by four lengths from the well-regarded Lily Pond, and Aidan O’Brien’s filly is very much the one to back now at double-figure odds for the Cazoo Oaks on June 3.
A choicely-bred daughter of Dubawi, her dam Was won the Oaks in 2012 and Was’s dam was a half-sister to New Approach so Concert Hall’s pedigree has Epsom plastered all over it, while O’Brien was obviously keen to get plenty of experience into her as a two-year-old.
Admittedly, that wasn’t the case with Was, who ran just the once as a juvenile, but the Ballydoyle maestro has won a bunch of British and Irish Classics with fillies who were in no way wrapped in cotton wool during their maiden campaign, and this latest project did at least run with credit in a couple of Group Ones.
She won her maiden over seven furlongs at the Curragh and, in spite of the stout pedigree, showed a really good turn of foot in the Salsabil when reappearing, before matching it with a fine attitude to get the better of Magical Lagoon in a driving finish, the pair coming three and three-quarter lengths clear of Ger Lyons’ Cairde Go Deo in third (full replay below).
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It looks a very strong piece of form even at this early stage and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more big-race winners emerge from further back. But there’s no doubting 2/1 market leader Concert Hall was the class act in the field and O’Brien basically nominated the Oaks as her next port of call straight after the race.
Despite Tuesday’s encouraging 1000 Guineas effort and Thoughts Of June toughing it out from the front to beat Above The Curve in the Cheshire Oaks, it’s not hard to envisage Concert Hall being the one they’ve aimed at Epsom all along, and I think she’s several points too big in the betting at the time of writing.
I’ve still got a lot of time for Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve but stamina would still have to be a slight doubt with her when it comes to a truly-run mile and a half, and this week's Musidora Stakes at York is probably going to throw up the most important final pieces of the Oaks jigsaw.
John and Thady Gosden are in a really strong position but I’m half-hoping they run both Emily Upjohn and Nashwa as I reckon the latter could surprise a few people.
She’s only won a mile novice event at Haydock but the manner in which she pulverised another Gosden inmate Wonderful Times, who has since been second to yet another from the Clarehaven yard (Judith) at Ascot on Friday, was really quite striking (replay below).
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She was the mother of all eye-catchers when third to William Haggas’s Coronation Stakes entry Golden Lyra over seven furlongs at Newmarket towards the end of last season, and has clearly inherited no small part of Frankel’s stamina as she motored six and a half lengths clear when given her head by Hollie Doyle in the north west.
If she gets 10 furlongs – and I’ve little doubt she will get it well – Nashwa may be the one to lay down the main Oaks marker against the Irish horses who currently boss the betting.
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