Impressive
Epsom Oaks (Gp1) winner, Eswarah, skips Sunday’s Irish Oaks, to be
run at the Curragh, in favour of Goodwood’s Nassau Stakes (Gp1) at
the end of the month.
Dash
to the Top has been priced up a somewhat unlikely favourite for the
race, ahead of Shawanda and Playful Act. It is an interesting race
despite not having a standout.
DASH
TO THE TOP:
She showed promise last year when third in the Fillies Mile behind
Playful Act and Maids Causeway. The form has been franked by Maids
Causeway’s gutsy win in the Coronation Stakes (Gp1). She made a
belated return to the track when winning a Listed race last time out
in workmanlike style. A daughter of the all conquering Montjeu, her
dam is a daughter of two top class performers- Nashwan and
Milligram.
SHAWANDA:
Winner
of the Prix de Royaumont (Gp3) last time out. Her connections
avoided a clash with Divine Proportions in favour of this race. The
Royaumont form looks fair with the second filly, classic winner
Royal Highness, landing the Prix de Malleret (Gp2) at her next
start. She bids to give Sinndar a classic winner from his first
crop. She has won her three previous starts.
PLAYFUL
ACT:
Top class two year old. She won both the May Hill Stakes (Gp2) and
Fillies Mile (Gp1). She missed the English classics but was a
convincing winner of the Lancashire Oaks (Gp2) last time out. She
has won four of her last five starts and although she rises in class
has to be respected here. By Sadler’s Wells her dam has produced four stakes winners
to date.
HAZARIYA:
Xaar
filly has won three of her last four starts. She won a Listed race
last time out, giving the second filly five pounds. A half sister to
high class filly Hazarista, she was beaten by Right Key two starts
back but gave that filly three pounds on that occasion and there
should be little to choose between the two at level weights here.
PICTAVIA:
She finished a good third to Eswarah and Something Exciting in the
Oaks. Something Exciting let the side down by a poor display at York
but that may have come too soon for her. Pictavia was a good two
year old, she beat Saoire when second in the Moyglare Stud Stakes
(Gp1), and she was seventh in the English 1000 Guineas on her
seasonal debut. It is surprising that she is not the favourite here
as her recent form looks the most solid. Another filly by Sinndar,
her dam is a half sister to grade one winners Irish Prize and
Hatoof.
SAIORE:
Winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas (Gp1) two starts back. She was
disappointing when unplaced in the Pretty Polly Stakes (Gp1) behind
Alexander Goldrun. She was beaten by Chelsea Rose and Pictavia last
year and is not guaranteed to stay judging on her pedigree-she is by
Pivotal out of a Danehill mare.
THAKAFAAT:
Bids to give sire, Unfuwain, no less than his fourth Irish Oaks
winner. Won the Ribblesdale Stakes (Gp2) at her last start. The
second filly was well beaten at her next start and it remains to be
seen how strong the Ribblesdale form is. She has won three of her
six starts. Her dam is a half sister to recently retired
Footstepsinthesand.
CHELSEA
ROSE:
Last year’s Moyglare Stud Stakes winner. She made a belated return
to the track when landing a Listed race at the Curragh in June. She
was unplaced in the Pretty Polly next time out but was unsuited by
the pace. She has won three of five and is bred to enjoy the extra
being by Desert King out of a Trempolino mare.
MONA
LISA:
The best maiden in training. She was disappointing in her first
three starts this year before running third in the Coronation
Stakes. She was not disgraced when beaten two lengths by Alexander
Goldrun in the Pretty Polly Stakes. It is hard to believe the
daughter of Giant’s Causeway has yet to win a race but she is very
talented. Her best form has been over shorter.
RIGHT
KEY:
Won a group three last time out by half a length from Unique Pose,
the latter being thrashed by Behkiyra by five lengths. On that form
Right Key will struggle here although there should not be much
between her and Hazariya. She is from the family of Zim sire Safawan
and has won three of eight starts to date.
ALLEXINA:
A dual Listed race winner, she has won three of five. Yet to face
top class opposition she looks to be the Oxx second stringer. A
daughter of Barathea, she is from Tamburlaine’s immediate family.
IN
THE RIBBONS:
Daughter of In The Wings is a longshot here. She was a well beaten
third in a Listed race at her last start and previously won her
maiden at her eleventh attempt.
LAZY
MARIE:
She has made just one start. Lazy Marie was sixth in a maiden race
at Navan. A daughter of Singspiel she faces an uphill battle here.
SELECTION
1.
Pictavia
2.
Playful Act
3.
Dash to the Top