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Trainer John Gosden won the Musidora Stakes with multiple Group 1 winner The Fugue in 2011 and his So Mi Dar (now Timeform-rated 120p) will now bid to improve upon that fillies’ third in the Oaks.
So Mi Dar was similarly impressive when winning the York feature on Wednesday, showing a smart turn of foot to come four lengths clear of the 1000 Guineas fourth Fireglow (111) and last year’s Rockfel winner Promising Run (112).
That form still gives her 2 lb to find with Minding on what she achieved in the 1000 Guineas, but she remains open to improvement after just three career starts and it promises to be a mouth-watering clash between the pair in what looks likely to be a high-quality renewal of the Oaks. So Mi Dar does hold a Derby entry through her win in last month’s Epsom trial – form that has worked out extremely well – but is seemingly unlikely to take up that engagement.
Indeed, Gosden will be even more reluctant to let her take her chance after the cosy victory of Wings of Desire (120p) in the Dante Stakes on Thursday. He established himself as a leading Derby candidate when accounting for Deauville (117) and stablemate Foundation (114p) at York, looking better the further he went and sure to relish the return to a mile and a half at Epsom.
Third on his debut at Newmarket’s Craven meeting, the improvement he has made in such a short space of time is remarkable and he deserves his position towards the top of the market. His inexperience would be a slight concern for the unique task that Epsom presents, but connections are seemingly keen to supplement him for what remains an open renewal on paper and he can be expected to uphold the form with Deauville and the disappointing Midterm (114p) on this evidence. Foundation would have finished closer to the front pair with a clear run and heads to the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
Magical Memory (124) is unlikely to be inconvenienced by a drop back to five furlongs at some stage this season, after travelling powerfully through to lead home a strong field for the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes. The Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot remains the logical target, where he can expect to meet the second Suedois (118) and fifth Twilight Son (125) again, with the latter sure to improve for that first outing of the campaign (won all three previous meetings with the winner). Beautiful Romance (118) kept on well to land the Group 2 Middleton Stakes on Thursday, reversing Ascot form with the third Journey (118) and defying her connections’ concerns about her ability to act on fast ground. That comment also applies to Clever Cookie (121), who didn’t need to be at his very best to land a sub-standard renewal of the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup on Friday, while Nemoralia (115p) and Barsanti (117p) should prove competitive at a higher level after impressive wins on the same card.
The Group 1 Lockinge Stakes took centre stage at Newbury on Saturday and Belardo (125) showed a typically striking turn of foot to get the better of the admirable Euro Charline (119) in the closing stages. He is clearly at his best with a bit of ease underfoot, though, and that has to be a concern with a proposed crack at the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in mind. Euro Charline should find easier opportunities as she attempts to land her first Group 1 win in Europe, while Endless Drama (122p) and Limato (126) shaped with varying degrees of promise in third and fourth respectively. The former ran a cracker on his first start for nearly twelve months and is entitled to improve with that outing under his belt, while Limato is worth another try at this trip. His weak finishing effort can be excused in the circumstances, with the ground proving unsuitably soft on his return from his a significant spell on the sidelines.
The Irish 2000 Guineas should provide a definitive answer as to whether Galileo Gold will take his chance in the Derby or not, but he is now under some pressure from The Gurkha (124p) at the head of the Timeform ratings for the race. Aidan O’Brien’s charge produced an awesome display to take the Group 1 Prix Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Deauville on Sunday and pulled five and a half lengths clear of the field. He is clearly one to follow and is an exciting prospect, though there are clear doubts about whether he would get the trip in the Derby (by Galileo but his dam and sister only got a mile at most). The St James’ Palace Stakes was put forward as an alternative engagement after the race and - while it would be slightly disappointing to see a pair of Classic winners swerve the Derby - a clash with Galileo Gold at Ascot would be a race to savour.
The Group 1 Prix Poule d’Essai des Pouliches went the way of La Cressonniere (116p), who took her unbeaten record to six wins from six starts with a game victory over Newmarket 1000 Guineas-fifth Nathra (113). She rates a smart prospect and is now set for a crack at the Prix de Diane – a double her trainer pulled off with Avenir Certain in 2014 – although the value of this form is questionable with a little over two lengths covering the first six home. Elsewhere, Zhukova’s (122p) dominant performance in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas on Wednesday went under the radar slightly. She perhaps didn’t get the credit she deserved for beating Found on her reappearance, but her proficiency on soft ground could see her collect a valuable pot in the autumn.
Weight-adjusted Timeform Ratings for the Oaks at Epsom
MINDING (IRE) 136
SO MI DAR 134p
BALLYDOYLE (IRE) 130p
PROMISING RUN (USA) 126
FIREGLOW 125
ALICE SPRINGS (IRE) 125
DOTHRAKI QUEEN (USA) 123
HARLEQUEEN 121
TURRET ROCKS (IRE) 121
PRETTY PERFECT (IRE) 120
THE JULIET ROSE (FR) 120p
ARCHITECTURE (IRE) 119p
EVEN SONG (IRE) 119p
SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE) 119p
BEST IN THE WORLD (IRE) 118
FIRST VICTORY (IRE) 118
Weight-adjusted Timeform Ratings for the Derby at Epsom
GALILEO GOLD 139
THE GURKHA (IRE) 138p
SO MI DAR 137p
EMOTIONLESS (IRE) 136p
MASSAAT (IRE) 135p
HIT IT A BOMB (USA) 133p
DEAUVILLE (IRE) 131
ULTRA (IRE) 130p
SO MI DAR 129p
JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE) 129
PORT DOUGLAS (IRE) 129
FOUNDATION (IRE) 128p
HARZAND (IRE) 128p
IDAHO (IRE) 128p
MIDTERM 128p