Savethelastdance tops 11 in Betfred Oaks field at Epsom

The daughter of Galileo has been favourite for the fillies’ showpiece ever since decimating the opposition in the Cheshire Oaks earlier this month and heads to Epsoms in anticipation of faring much better in the 12 furlong event than her dam Daddys Lil Darling who bolted to post during a thunderstorm, unshipped Olivier Peslier and was subsequently withdrawn in 2017.

Speaking on a Zoom call arranged by The Jockey Club on Wednesday afternoon, O'Brien said: “When the season starts the ground is what it is and we run them regardless.

“Often we can think that a horse won’t handle soft ground and you’ll run them and they do. Obviously if you looked at her pedigree you’d say ‘definitely not soft ground’ but she bends her knee a little bit and she rises her feet, which helped her to handle it.

“You’d often see horses that do that and still want fast ground even though they do that, but she did it and she was able to get hold of it. It’s going to be very interesting to see how she fares on totally different ground.

“It was very unusual what she did (at Chester) and I think everyone would have to say that. Visually a race can look one way but when everyone delves into it with the times it can be the opposite of what it looked like, but I think the times showed that she was very impressive.

“They went a good strong gallop and when you have a horse in a race that has a little bit of class they can come through from behind like she did and win, but what was unusual with her was the way she went through the last two furlongs.

“She just kept accelerating and I think that makes it unusual, so we’re looking forward to the Oaks the same as everyone else.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see what does happen on better ground. She hasn’t done a lot of work since and doesn’t need much work, she’s a very clear winded filly so she’s been cantering away and seems very happy.

"Most Galileos that we have always wanted good ground and they wouldn’t be soft ground horses at all and with having Scat Daddy in her bloodline too you’d say she should suit it – it will be interesting to see."

As well as Savethelastdance, O’Brien will also saddle Be Happy and Red Riding Hood in his attempt to secure Oaks win number 11 and continue his domination of the Friday feature.

The trainer said: “Red Riding Hood will take her time, she has blinkers on her and she doesn’t concentrate much when she gets to the front.

"Be Happy ran well at Lingfield and we were very happy with that run, the pace was a bit slower than we would have liked for her but we’ve been very happy with her since then.”

John and Thady Gosden are responsible for what the bookmakers feel will be Savethelastdance’s biggest challenge saddling both Pretty Polly winner Running Lion and Musidora scorer Soul Sister, the latter the mount of Frankie Dettori in his final Oaks outing before retirement.

Supplementary entry and Lingfield trial winner Eternal Hope is entrusted with trying to provide Charlie Appleby with his first Oaks success, while Heartache Tonight is an interesting contender for David Menuisier having finished a close-up fourth in the Prix Saint-Alary.

Jack Channon’s 1000 Guineas fourth Caernarfon steps up in trip from a mile for her first start since Newmarket, while Maman Joon (Richard Hannon), Sea Of Roses (Andrew Balding) and Bright Diamond (Karl Burke) are the others heading to the mile-and-a-half start on Friday afternoon.

The other Group One on the card is the Dahlbury Coronation Cup where Westover will look to erase the demons of his troubled run in last year’s Derby.

Ralph Beckett’s Frankel colt was a somewhat unlucky loser behind Desert Crown 12 months ago, but gained compensation in the Irish equivalent and arrives on the back of a fine run to finish second in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.

Emily Upjohn was another to be narrowly denied in her quest for Classic success in 2022 and reappears having opened her Group One account in the autumn, while Hurricane Lane is Godolphin’s chosen representative having bounced back to his best in the Jockey Club Stakes.

Ballydoyle’s Point Lonsdale is unbeaten in two starts this term and races over 12 furlongs for the first time, with Tunnes an interesting raider from Germany rounding off a select field of five.

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