Seeing Is Believing

There is a colloquialism in British racing that goes back a long way. “Fourth in the Guineas, first in the Derby” is what was often said in days of yore. Manipulated to fit the fillies' Classic this year, that gives 'TDN Rising Star' Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) the edge in terms of folklore in Friday's G1 Investec Oaks at a rain-drenched Epsom. Not that Godolphin's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner needs superstition, as she is the sole Group 1 winner in the line-up, has ground to suit and will love the trip being out of the enthusiastic Rumh (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who once made all to win a two-mile handicap at Goodwood in 2012. Rumh's family has speed, with the Beverly D winner Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and her son Free Port Lux (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) at their best at up to 10 furlongs, but it goes back to the dual Ascot Gold Cup hero and champion stayer Ardross (Ire). The homebred bay has always looked special, with her debut effort at Yarmouth back in August now upgraded after the runner-up Give and Take (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) went on to success in the G3 Musidora S. Her defeat of the crack French filly Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), with the now-absent Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) back in fourth, in the Marcel Boussac on Chantilly's Arc day in October was carried out clinically in a time faster than the same card's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. On her return in the G1 1000 Guineas on Newmarket's ever-drying good-to-firm ground May 6, she kept trying all the way and was on the premises behind Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and as the last two proved on Sunday there is nothing flaky about that form.

“She ran a lovely race on her comeback in the 1000 Guineas and is a filly who will appreciate stepping up in trip,” said rider William Buick. “Her form is very solid and she's never done anything wrong. She's very stoutly bred on the dam's side and, being by Dubawi, has a great pedigree. You would like to think the distance is not an inconvenience for her and she seems straightforward. She ticks a lot of boxes.”

One factor potentially against Wild Illusion is her draw in one, with no filly since the 1990 heroine Salsabil (Ire) successful from that stall. Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was the last real contender to try and defy that statistic and she was only caught very late by Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), so there may not be much store in it. She has the class to overcome any slight disadvantage that post position bestows and there is every likelihood that with the ground riding soft the field will all congregate on the stand's rail in the straight. Ironically, that was the case when Godolphin's Balanchine (Storm Bird) and Kazzia (Ger) (Zinaad {GB}) won in 1994 and 2002.

Aidan O'Brien has five engaged as he bids to solve a problem like Wild Illusion and now that he has lost Magical, looks to Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to lead the way in an eerily trick-themed renewal of this Classic. A beautiful filly from an esteemed family, she performed her own sleight-of-hand act when improving around 20 pounds from a Leopardstown maiden to the May 9 Listed Cheshire Oaks. Making all and looking well within herself at every stage when scoring by 3 1/2 lengths from stablemate Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in that trial, the half-sister to the high-class but temperamental G1 Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) looks tailor-made for this test. Her pedigree features the yard's 2006 Oaks winner Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and two others from Ballydoyle who performed their finest theatrics in the biggest show on this stage in Masterofthehorse (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Washington Irving (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Another from the stable who has the genetics to perform to a high standard around Epsom is Bye Bye Baby (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with her dam being Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who was third before being promoted to second as a maiden in the 2010 renewal of this race behind Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab). Bye Bye Baby's ready defeat of Magic Wand's maiden winner Jaega (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in The Curragh's G3 Blue Wind S. over 10 furlongs on soft-to-heavy ground May 12 is smart form and it is worth recalling the manner in which she dispatched the subsequent G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner Altyn Orda (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) in a seven-furlong Newmarket maiden in September.

Success for the May 12 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Perfect Clarity (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) would make up for unplaced efforts for three of the members of this Hesmonds Stud family after Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), Claxon (GB) (Caerleon) and Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}) all tried and failed. Clive Cox is a trainer nobody can underestimate and her defeat of Cecchini (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and Flattering (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) shows that she has class, stamina and tenacity in equal measure.

“I'm delighted with the way she's growing up and maturing,” commented Cox, who took her to the recent 'Breakfast With the Stars' morning for extra exposure. “She's a lovely filly and I'm looking forward to running her. She's the best middle-distance horse I think we've had the pleasure of having. She's got a change of gear, she stays and she's done everything right so far.”

Cracksman's Coronation…

On the same card, the G1 Investec Coronation Cup is all about Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who deputises for fellow John Gosden luminary Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and takes on five including last year's third Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) and Ballydoyle's Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Like the latter, he was third in the Derby over this course and distance but has made immense subsequent progress with wins in the G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot in October and ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Ganay Apr. 29 by a cumulative margin of 11 lengths. The form of the Champion S. has worked out particularly well, with three of the vanquished in Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}), Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) and Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) already group winners this term.

Warrior Vs. The Going?

Thursday's draw for the G1 Investec Derby saw Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), like Wild Illusion, also in the perceived hoodoo stall one as he takes on 11 rivals, four of which are from his own stable. Aidan O'Brien took out the G1 Prix du Jockey Club-Bound Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and G3 Ballysax S. winner Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), with the stable's chief deputy Seamie Heffernan on board 'TDN Rising Star' Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Stall one at Epsom is one of those much-discussed jinx theories, but Oath (Ire) was just an average winner of the blue riband in 1999 and he came from that post position. The bet is that the draw will concern the Coolmore/Ballydoyle contingent and Ryan Moore about as much as whether Saxon Warrior's name will appear in chalk writing on the famous wishing well outside the nearby Amato pub. This establishment has proven time and again recently that it is there to break all records and it is worth noting that nothing had won from stall 12 before their Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) brushed aside that anomaly.

Of more concern to Saxon Warrior's team is the ground, which remains soft. Deep Impact was never asked to race on such a surface, but his dam Wind In Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao) ran second to Balanchine in the aforementioned 1994 Oaks which was hit by rain. Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took the Listed Chesham S. on soft in 2011 and the family's Oaks heroine Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) thrived in these conditions.

The last time the Derby was hit by a thunderstorm, Dermot Weld capitalised with His Highness The Aga Khan's Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and his relative Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal) is fine-tuned following his success in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown May 13.

Godolphin have at least had any superstitions settled by the draw, with Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) getting stall 10, the “lucky” one which has seen nine winners emerge since stalls were introduced in 1967.

Little Drama In Jockey Club Draw…

Another Classic shaped on Thursday was that of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, where the favoured foursome Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War), Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Key Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) were drawn favourably in one, three, six and seven, respectively. Ryan Moore is on the impressive Listed Dee S. winner Rostropovich, who–as he was in that May 10 contest will be accompanied by his G3 Killavullan S.-winning stablemate Kenya (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Aidan O'Brien could not have designed the stall position of the stable's number one and pacemaker any better, with Kenya in two next door to Rostropovich. Interestingly, he also saddles the May 9 G3 Chester Vase third and fifth Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Flag of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), but their respective riders Seamie Heffernan and Wayne Lordan will have to exercise all the tactical skill for which they are renowned to overcome wide draws in 14 and 12 respectively. Others to fare badly in the four widest stalls are Jean-Louis Tepper's Apr. 15 G3 Prix Noailles winner Pharrell (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}), the May 7 G3 Prix de Guiche first and second Intellogent (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) and Patascoy (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Giacomo Algranti's G3 Prix Djebel winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains third Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}).