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The
Epsom Oaks is being run on Friday and it promises to be a fascinating contest.
The favourite is Musidora Stakes winner Islington, with the likes of Kazzia,
Quarter Moon and Mellow Park all real threats to the Stoute trained filly. Islington
has the pedigree to win a race like this - her full brother Greek Dance was a
Group 1 winner and her dam won the Yorkshire Oaks. She
was an impressive winner of the Musidora on her last start and has been working
very well. She will be ridden by Kieran Fallon who won the Oaks in 1997 and
1999, on Reams of Verse and Ramruma. Godolphin
have won this race with Balanchine, a narrow second in the 1000 Guineas in 1994
and have the English 1000 Guineas winner, Kazzia here. The
daughter of Shirley Heights sire Zinaad was a narrow winner at Newmarket over
Snowfire and Alasha. She is bred to relish the 2 furlongs at Epsom and will be
right there at the finish. The last filly to complete the English 1000 Guineas
and English Oaks double was Oh So Sharp in 1985. Aiden
O'Brien won this race last with Imagine, a daughter of Sadler's Wells. He has
five daughters of the great sire in this race and the best of them looks to be
Quarter Moon. She won the Moyglare Stud Stakes last year and ran second in the
Irish 1000 Guineas on her last start. Imagine won the same race before taking
the Oaks. Jeremy
Noseda has suffered bad luck in the classics, with two seconds. His Mellow Park,
a full sister to Central Park, was a brilliant winner of the Lupe Stakes. The
daughter of In The Wings should love the extra and may give the trainer his
first classic success. Noseda is not one handed in this race and has the useful
Spinning World filly, Spinnette. She was a game second to Islington in the
Musidora on her second life time start. Despite being a maiden, she is useful
and proved she outstays her fast pedigree, Spinnette should be right there. Marcus
Tregonning, a former assistant to the late Dick Hern, has two fillies in the
race. Esloob was a good third to Irish 1000 Guineas heroine, Gossmaer in the
Fillies Mile. She won the Pretty Polly Stakes on her reappearance. Out of
Yorkshire Oaks heroine Roseate Tern, she is by Diesis, a sire with an excellent
record in the race. Tregonning's
second runner is the Unfuwain filly, Shadow Dancing. She won the Cheshire Oaks
on her last start but needs to improve here. SELECTION 1.
Kazzia 2.
Islington 3.
Quarter Moon THE EPSOM DERBY 2002
Aiden
O'Brien will be looking to win his second consecutive Derby with one of the
joint favourites. His Hawk Wing was a desperately unlucky second in the English
2000 Guineas but his pedigree suggests he won't stay. His class is undoubted and
the fact Michael Kinane partners him suggests he is the stable elect. His
stable companion is the Racing Post Trophy winner, High Chapparral. Winner of
his two starts this year, the son of Sadler's Wells has the pedigree to stay the
trip, even if he may lack the sheer class of his stablemate. Johnny Murtagh
partners him, he won on Sinndar in 2000. The
Unfuwain stallion, Alhaarth has been a revelation. The former champion two year
old is represented by Bandari. Trained by Mark Johnston, whose string has
carried all before them this year, Bandari won the Lingfield Derby Trial by a
record 13 lengths. He will be ridden by Richard Hills for Sheikh Hamden -twice
successful with Erhaab and Nashwan. Stable
companion Fight Your Corner won the Chester Vase. The form looks suspect but the
son of Irish Champion Stakes winner, Muhtarram, looks to be improving and should
not lack for stamina. Naheef
was bitterly disappointing in the 2000 Guineas and needs to improve on his
second to Hawk Wing in the National Stakes last year. The son of Marju, on
pedigree, may struggle to stay - he is out a Mr Prospector mare, Golden Digger.
Stablemate Moon Ballad will be looking to continue the fine start of his sire,
Singspiel. The colt, a close relative of Oaks fancy Mellow Park, was a
convincing winner of a somewhat weak Dante Stakes. Ridden by Jamie Spencer, Moon
Ballad has stamina doubts as his dam was a six furlong Lowther Stakes winner.
1.
Bandari 2.
High
Chaparral 3. Moon Ballad |