By Sean Cronin
Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}) posted an Aug. 2 debut sixth tackling an insufficient seven furlongs at Glorious Goodwood before running second upped to one mile at Doncaster Aug. 18 and closed her juvenile campaign with a breakthrough score at Great Yarmouth Oct. 28. Doubling up when beating her sole rival in an Apr. 18 Chelmsford City handicap over 10 furlongs on seasonal return last time, she put down a impressive marker for Epsom's May 31 G1 Oaks–a race for which she needs supplementing–with a daylight score in Wednesday's Listed Arkle Finance Cheshire Oaks at Chester. Jockey Rab Havlin employed patient tactics and was content to settle off the pace along the rail in seventh for the most part. Angling outside for a clear passage approaching the home turn, the 3-1 favourite powered to the front approaching the final furlong and surged clear to easily outclass Manuela de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by 4 1/2 lengths.
“I didn't really want to be stuck down on the rail and was a bit further back than I'd have liked,” explained Havlin. “Luckily enough, I got out just before the bend and she surprised me by how well she picked up to be honest. She really enjoyed the ground and the overnight and morning rain probably helped her more than our other filly [Fanny Logan]. After she won at Chelmsford, the boss [John Gosden] said straight away she'd come for this. We had it in our mind she might be a [G2] Ribblesdale S. filly, she showed a good turn of foot there and it's now up to the boss to make a decision.” With regard to future plans, assistant trainer Thady Gosden added, “We have to talk to the owner [Nasser Lootah] to see if we supplement for the Oaks and that is up to him. Mr Lootah has a lot of horses down in Australia and we will talk to him and see what he wants to do. You would imagine she would be fine round Epsom as she is a nice, athletic, well-balanced filly so she should be the right type.” Ralph Beckett, trainer of runner-up Manuela de Vega, was far from downcast after the Listed Silver Tankard victress lost her unbeaten record and said, “She wasn't ready this time last week and has only just come to hand. She had a penalty to carry and didn't have a lot of room at the top of the straight. She galloped out really well, I'm sure it's strong form and I'm very happy.”
Mehdaayih is one of three winners and the leading performer produced by a half-sister to G2 Champagne S. victor Almushahar (Silver Hawk) and to the dam of G3 Cumberland Lodge S. winner Star Storm (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Her second dam is G1 1000 Guineas heroine Sayyedati (GB) (Shadeed), who prevailed five times at the highest level and is herself a daughter of G1 Premio Lydia Tesio victress and G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Irish Oaks third Dubian (GB) (High Line {GB}). The latter is the dam of five black-type performers in all, including MG1SW sire Golden Snake (Danzig) and stakes-winning sire and G1 Prix de la Salamandre runner-up Race Leader (Gone West).
Wednesday, Chester, Britain
ARKLE FINANCE CHESHIRE OAKS (FOR THE ROBERT SANGSTER MEMORIAL CUP)-Listed, £75,000, Chester, 5-8, 3yo, f, 11f 75yT, 2:31.51, g/s.
1–MEHDAAYIH (GB), 126, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Sayyedati Symphony, by Gone West
2nd Dam: Sayyedati (GB), by Shadeed
3rd Dam: Dubian (GB), by High Line (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Emirates Park Pty Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Robert Havlin. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $70,461.
2–Manuela de Vega (Ire), 129, f, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Roscoff (Ire), by Daylami (Ire). (€100,000 Ylg '17 GOFOR). O-Waverley Racing. £16,125.
3–Fanny Logan (Ire), 126, f, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Linda Radlett (Ire), by Manduro (Ger). O-HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing. £8,070.
Margins: 4HF, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.00, 3.50, 3.30.
Also Ran: Grace And Danger (Ire), Red Hot (Fr), La Voix Magique (GB), Love So Deep (Jpn), Vivid Diamond (Ire), Wanaasah (GB), Secret Thoughts, Starlight Red (Ire). Scratched: Osmosis (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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