It is nine years since a winner of York's G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. went on to glory in the G1 Epsom Oaks, but with all bar Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) among last year's Group 1 fillies either sidelined or going elsewhere, the upcoming renewal could be there for the taking for an improver. If it is one of the seven in Wednesday's line-up, it is pure guesswork at present but one who is heading in the right direction is the Apr. 18 Newmarket maiden winner Ceilidhs Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Representing the Julian Richmond-Watson-Ralph Beckett partnership successful in the Epsom Classic with Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) 10 years ago, she is out of Ceilidh House (GB) (Selkirk) who was only 13th in the 2010 Oaks.
“It is a step up in class for her, but I was very pleased with her win at Newmarket last time,” Beckett said. “She has been working well at home and hopefully this will prove a good indicator for some later-season targets. She's not in the Oaks and she's not really bred to go beyond a mile and a quarter, we'll see how that goes. It would be nice to think she is good enough.”
Second and third behind 'TDN Rising Star' Crystal Hope (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in a Sandown conditions event Apr. 27, Give and Take (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) and Highgarden (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) re-oppose from stables whose runners have always to be respected. The former represents William Haggas and he said, “Our filly ran a very good race at Sandown. Whether she needs that [soft] ground I don't know, but she handles it well. It will be lovely ground at York, no excuses on that front. She's a very genuine filly who tries like hell. I think she'll run her race, whether that is good enough we'll see. She has lots of stamina on the dam's side, but she shows a bit of speed at home. I've left her in the Oaks but I'm not convinced she's going to be better over a mile and a half. If everything went well tomorrow, we'd have to have a go.”
John Gosden saddles Highgarden, who is slated as the favourite and the descendant of the G1SW Rebelline (Ire) (Robellino) wants at least this trip, while David Simcock could extend a golden spell with Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah's Ejtyah (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Successful on her sole start on Chelmsford's Polytrack in December, she descends from the 1999 G1 Prix de Diane heroine Daryaba (Ire) (Night Shift) and after Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches success the yard now have a line into Europe's better fillies.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
