Wednesday, June 3, 2009

10 DECLARED FOR INVESTEC OAKS

Heading the declarations are last year’s champion juvenile filly Rainbow View, who is bidding to bounce back to form following a slightly disappointing fifth on her seasonal reappearance in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, and Sariska, the impressive winner of York’s Musidora Stakes.

Henry Cecil’s training record in the Investec Oaks is terrific with eight previous victories, most recently Light Shift’s emotional success in 2007. This year there is another strong contender from Warren Place in Midday, successful in the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield last month. The daughter of Oasis Dream has already shown her aptitude for Epsom Downs, having finished runner-up to Investec Derby contender Debussy in the Weatherbys Bank Blue Riband Trial Stakes on April 22.

Two declarations hail from Ireland, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Perfect Truth and Oh Goodness Me from the Jim Bolger stable. Perfect Truth was successful in the Listed Cheshire Oaks on May 6, when she held on by a short-head from the fast-finishing Phillipina and the duo are set to re-oppose on Friday. Oh Goodness Me was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her latest start and will be aiming to give Bolger his second success in the Investec Oaks, following the shock 50/1 triumph of Jet Ski Lady in 1991.

Also set to go to post 4.05pm on Friday are the Barry Hills-trained High Heeled, who got the better of several well-regarded colts on her seasonal debut at Newbury in April before finishing fourth behind Sariska at York and Wadaat, who has already gone close to Oaks glory when the nose second in the Italian equivalent on May 24. Tottie came third behind Midday at Lingfield and runs in the colours of last year’s winning owner Julian Richmond-Watson, while The Miniver Rose, trained by Richard Hannon, was runner-up last time out in a Listed contest at Newbury on May 15.

QUALITY OCTET GO TO POST IN INVESTEC CORONATION CUP

The second Group One highlight on Investec Ladies Day is the £242,750 Investec Coronation Cup (2.45pm) for a superb octet of older horses have been declared at today’s 48-hour declaration stage.

Among those lining up for Friday’s contest are the 2008 Investec Oaks heroine Look Here, who will be making her seasonal reappearance and the dual Group One scorer Youmzain, who finished runner-up last year behind Soldier Of Fortune and has been second twice in France’s top race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Sir Michael Stoute, chasing a fifth Investec Coronation Cup victory, is represented by Ask who was an impressive victor on his seasonal reappearance in the Group Two Yorkshire Cup.

Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has won three of the past four renewals of the Investec Coronation Cup and is represented this year by the 2008 Irish Derby victor Frozen Fire, who finished runner-up to Buccellati last time out in the Group Three Ormonde Stakes at Chester on May 8.

John Gosden is doubly represented with Lincoln Handicap winner Expresso Star and Duncan, who was supplemented at a cost of £20,000 on Saturday having won both his starts this season in the Blue Square City & Suburban Handicap at Epsom Downs in April and a Listed contest at Ascot.

Godolphin has enjoyed two previous successes in the Investec Coronation Cup and this time around run Eastern Anthem, successful last time out in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba on March 28.

GROUND

The ground at Epsom Downs is currently good, good to firm in places. Six millimetres of water have been applied to the course in the last 36 hours.

Currently, the forecast is for dry conditions and for cooler temperatures than of late. There is the chance of a slight shower overnight Friday heading into Saturday, but this is not expected to amount to more than about two millimetres.

Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing at Epsom Downs, said: “The ground is currently spot on and I am glad we took the decision to water when we did. I would have no hesitation in calling it good in the main. It is a little bit quicker in places, mainly on the climb up the back straight.”

THE INVESTEC OAKS
Class 1, Group 1, £350,000 Total Prize Fund. 4.05pmEpsom Downs, Friday, June 5, 2009. For three-year-old fillies only. One mile & four furlongs. Weights: 9st each. Entries closed March 17, entries revealed March 19 (77 entries). First scratchings deadline noon, May 21, 2009 (25 remained). £20,000 supplementary entry stage and six-day confirmation stage May 30 (12 remained), final declaration stage 10.00am, June 3 (10 declarations). Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and include the racing up to and including Tuesday, June 2.

No/Draw Form Horse Owner Trainer/Jockey
1) (9) 26(1)6-14 HIGH HEELED (IRE) Mr and Mrs Steven Jenkins Barry Hills/Michael Hills
2) (2) 0314-21 MIDDAY Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil/Tom Queally
3) (6) 03122-103 OH GOODNESS ME June Judd & Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE/Kevin Manning
4) (1) 40(2)-4(2)1 PERFECT TRUTH (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE/Johnny Murtagh
5) (3) 0-52 PHILLIPINA Cheveley Park Stud Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore
6) (10) 1111-5 RAINBOW VIEW (USA) George Strawbridge John Gosden/Jimmy Fortune
7) (5) 1-41 SARISKA Lady Bamford Michael Bell/Jamie Spencer
8) (4) 013-442 THE MINIVER ROSE (IRE) Julie Wood Richard Hannon/Richard Hughes
9) (8) (0)415-3 TOTTIE Julian Richmond-Watson Amanda Perrett/Jim Crowley
10) (7) (3)(2)102 WADAAT Saeed Manana Clive Brittain/Neil Callan

10 declarations
2 Irish-trained

THE INVESTEC CORONATION CUP
Class One, Group One, £242,750 Total Prize Fund. 2.45pm, Epsom Downs, Friday, June 5, 2009. For four-year-olds and upwards, one mile & four furlongs. Entries closed April 7, entries revealed April 8 (32 entries), scratchings deadline May 19 (18 entries remained), six-day confirmation & £20,000 supplementary stage May 30 (11 confirmations, 1 supplementary entry), final declaration stage 10.00am, June 3 (8 declarations). Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Tuesday, June 2.

No/Draw Form Horse Age Owner Trainer/Jockey
1) (8) 2/15560-1 ASK 6 Patrick Fahey Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore
2) (2) 514116-31 BUCCELLATI 5 Mr & Mrs P McMahon & Mr & Mrs R Gorell Andrew Balding/William Buick
3) (3) 22160-11 DUNCAN 4 Normandie Stud Ltd John Gosden/Jimmy Fortune
4) (6) 316-111 EASTERN ANTHEM (IRE) 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor/Frankie Dettori
5) (4) 42111-13 EXPRESSO STAR (USA) 4 H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden/Richard Mullen
6) (7) 10/2010-3 FROZEN FIRE (GER) 4 Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE/Johnny Murtagh
7) (5) 52132-4 YOUMZAIN (IRE) 6 Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon/Richard Hills
8) (1) 1/213- LOOK HERE 4 Julian Richmond-Watson Ralph Beckett/Seb Sanders

8 declarations
1 Irish-trained

MAD RUSH TO GOODWOOD

The progressive five-year-old was a little over five lengths seventh to Viewed in Australia’s biggest race, having finished fourth in the Group One Caulfield Cup on his arrival down under. Mad Rush’s Australian adventure followed a fine season in Europe that yielded victory in Haydock’s Old Newton Cup as well as a runner-up finish in the Group Two Prix Kergolay at Deauville.

Fiona Shaw, racing manager to owner Earle Mack, revealed today: “Mad Rush has wintered well and we have gelded him since last season. He did a nice piece of work on Saturday and he could not be better. This is only his first race of the campaign so he might come on for it, but the signs are good for the weekend. We are just starting him off for the season and this race is a good steeping stone for us.

“If he runs well on Friday, there is a possibility of a Group Three in Ireland at the end of the month. That is what we are leaning towards.”

Mad Rush, whose owner is the former US Ambassador to Finland, could make a return to Australia in the autumn, although connections are likely to focus on staying prizes closer to home for the time being.

Shaw continued: “We do not know at this stage if he will go back to Australia. We would like to go back there but we are not sure if he is the right horse to return with. It depends on how he goes through summer. Anything is a possibility with him because he is so versatile - certainly the staying races, particularly at a mile six, will be ideal for him this season.

“He seems to go on pretty much any going - he is good like that. Goodwood is a great place to start him off and we are lucky enough to have Ryan Moore riding him.”

The WHEB Ventures And Ruston WHEB Stakes has attracted a quality field of six runners.

Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor is set to saddle Group Three winner Crime Scene and Sagara, who finished third to Yeats in the Group Two Coutts Goodwood Cup last term.

The Mick Channon-trained Halicarnassus and Goodwood regular Illustrious Blue, trained locally by William Knight, finished second and fourth respectively in the Listed Festival Stakes over 10 furlongs at Goodwood on May 25, while the Henry Cecil-trained Unleashed completes the field.

As with all Friday evening fixtures at Goodwood in 2009, racegoers on June 5 can look forward to extra entertainment with a distinct Caribbean and Latin flavour. Attractions on offer include jazz and samba bands, Brazilian dancers and fire jugglers.

The evening of June 5 is run under the banner of “Goodwood Goes Green”, recognising the importance of environmental matters to the Goodwood Estate. The estate has supplied food to the Duke of Richmond for over 300 years and been at the forefront of the organic movement for 50 years.

The gates open at 4.30pm and the action gets underway at 6.15pm with the Goodwood Farm Shop Handicap (for amateur riders) and concludes at 8.55pm with the Go Green! belu Water Handicap (8.55pm). The other races on the card are the New Century Media European Breeders’ Fund Maiden Stakes (6.45pm), The Ecologist Handicap (7.50pm) and the Climate Change Capital Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (8.25pm).

Goodwood racecourse holds its three evening fixtures of 2009 this month with the others taking place on Friday, June 12, and Friday, June 19.

Admission prices start at just £9, there is FREE car parking available and accompanied children aged under 18 are admitted FREE to all enclosures

Callum MacKay, Marketing & PR Manager for Goodwood Racecourse, commented: “We are well aware of what people expect from Goodwood and the sense of occasion created at Glorious Goodwood is a big draw for racegoers.

“The Friday evening fixtures are popular but we believe that they have great potential especially if we focus on the sociable nature of these meetings and provide entertainment which will appeal to the social racegoer. We want to really engage with our customers and provide entertainment which is both surprising and entertaining.”

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