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Roz is all set to be a first
Investec Oaks runner for trainer Harry Dunlop who hopes that Johnny
Murtagh will ride the three-year-old in the fillies' Classic on the first
day of the 2013 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, Investec Ladies'
Day, Friday, May 31.
Twelve fillies go for the £426,250 Investec Oaks, run over a
mile and a half, following today's six-day confirmation and supplementary
entry stage.
As expected, Banoffee has been supplemented at a cost
of £30,000 by trainer Hughie Morrison following her impressive success in
the Listed Cheshire Oaks on May 8, when she had the John Gosden-trained Gertrude
Versed in second.
Heading the market at 5/2 with Coral, official betting
partner of the 2013 Investec Derby Festival, is Secret Gesture,
one of two entries going forward for trainer Ralph Beckett. The
three-year-old daughter of Galileo was a facile 10-length winner of the Listed
Oaks Trial at Lingfield Park on May 11.
Beckett's other entry is Talent, who also made a
winning start to the season when taking the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at
Newmarket on May 5. Beckett won the 2008 Investec Oaks with Look Here.
Liber Nauticus, trained by Sir Michael Stoute,
became very prominent in the Investec Oaks betting after winning the
Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York on May 15 and is unbeaten
in two starts.
Roz, sired by Teofilo, put up her best performance of 2012 when
second in the Group One Shadwell Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in late
September.
She reappeared this year in the first British fillies'
Classic, the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, over a mile at Newmarket on May 5 when
she finished 10th of 15 to Sky Lantern.
The Dunlop family has a strong connection with the Investec
Oaks, with Harry's father John saddling Circus Plume (1984) and Salsabil
(1990) to victory, while the 2004 scorer Ouija Board and the 2010 winner
Snow Fairy were trained by his brother Ed.
Harry Dunlop revealed: "The plan is to run Roz in the
Investec Oaks. She has been fine since the Guineas and has come on a lot
for the run.
"They went a bit too quick for her at Newmarket and I'm
hoping the longer distance in the Oaks will suit her. It was still an
encouraging run at Newmarket but going that half a stride slower will
give us a chance to get involved.
"I don't think the course will hold any fears for her.
I have been doing some work with her here on undulating gallops and she
has obviously run at the Rowley Mile with that dip in there. I know
that's nothing like Epsom and, although we are trying to do everything
possible, we won't know until she tries it.
"I think the Investec Oaks is very open. Obviously,
there are the top four or five but the likes of ourselves have every
chance to be there.
"Ralph Beckett's filly (Secret Gesture) looks the best
on what we have seen but ultimately Sir Michael Stoute's filly (Liber
Nauticus) could improve and then you have Moth for Aidan O'Brien.
"Hopefully, Johnny Murtagh will ride Roz. It's a
possibility and we have spoken to his agent and fingers crossed that's
who we have got.
"I wouldn't count on it until we have declared her but
hopefully that is the plan. Johnny has won the Oaks before and the Derby
three times so there is no better man than him around Epsom."
O'Brien, seeking a fifth Investec Oaks victory, has retained
three entries, headed by QIPCO 1000 Guineas third Moth. Moth is
likely to be joined by stablemate Say, runaway winner of a
12-furlong maiden at Cork on May 10, while Snow Queen goes for
tomorrow's Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Michael Bell, successful with Sariska in 2009, is likely to
be doubly represented by The Lark, who is out of a half-sister to
Sariska, and Madame Defarge, who was third behind Talent at
Newmarket.
Completing the possible line-up for the 2013 Investec Oaks
is Miss You Too (David Simcock), who was second to Secret Gesture
at Lingfield.
Investec Oaks - Coral: Official Betting Partner
5/2 Secret Gesture, 3 Moth, 10/3 Liber Nauticus, 8 Banoffee,
10 Say, 14 Talent, 20 Snow Queen, Madame Defarge, 33 Gertrude Versed, The
Lark, 50 Roz, 66 Miss You Too.
THE INVESTEC OAKS
Class 1, Group 1, £426,250 Total Prize Fund. Epsom Downs, Friday, May 31, 2013. For
three-year-old fillies only. One mile & four furlongs & 10yds.
Weights: 9st each. Entries closed March 12, entries revealed March 14 (67
entries). Scratchings deadline noon, May 17 (14 remained). £30,000
supplementary entry stage and six-day confirmation stage May 25 (11
remain plus 1 supplementary entry Banoffee -12 in total),
final declaration stage 10.00am, May 29. Form figures supplied by
Weatherbys and include the racing up to and including Friday, May 24. May
not include some overseas form.
Form
Horse
Owner
Trainer
-11 BANOFFEE (IRE) Michael
Kerr-Dineen, Lord Hambleden & Partners Hughie Morrison
(5)(3)-(2)(1)2 GERTRUDE VERSED Rachel
Hood John Gosden
1-1 LIBER NAUTICUS (IRE) Ballymacoll
Stud Sir Michael Stoute
1-3 MADAME DEFARGE (IRE) Bill Gredley
Michael Bell
24423-2 MISS YOU TOO Andrew Whitlock
David Simcock
53-13 MOTH (IRE) Sue Magnier, Michael
Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
0(1)12-0 ROZ Mary-Anne Parker Harry
Dunlop
6-21 SAY (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue
Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
21-1 SECRET GESTURE Newsells
Park Stud Ralph Beckett
1021-35 SNOW QUEEN (IRE) Diane
Nagle/Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
3(1)-1 TALENT James Rowsell &
Mark Dixon Ralph Beckett
41-3 THE LARK Lady Bamford Michael
Bell
11 six-day confirmations plus 1 supplementary entry
Banoffee - 12 in total
3 Irish-trained
Taken out today
DUBAYA, MASARAH
(IRE) & PLANETE BLEUE (IRE)
Day Two of the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs takes
place on Saturday, June 1 and features Britain's richest race and premier
British Classic, the Investec Derby, and the Group One Investec
Coronation Cup.
Going change at Epsom Downs
The going description at Epsom Downs has changed this
morning to Good, Good to Soft in places from Good after nine
millimetres of rain during yesterday.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at
Epsom Downs, said: "Having had nine millimetres of rain through
Friday, I have changed the ground this morning to Good, Good to Soft in
places.
"It is generally on the slower side of good and I am
pleased with the condition of the course.
"Today, tomorrow and Monday are meant to be dry and at
the moment we are forecast an unsettled spell on Tuesday and
Wednesday."
ROAD TO THE DERBY
For more information visit the
Road to the Derby micro-site, www.theroadtothederby.co.uk which
features interactive areas for users to chat, discuss and debate the
latest news and views on the Investec Derby Festival and the Derby
Trials. In addition up to date announcements and video footage will be
available, including footage of the key Derby Trials. The site aims to
deliver a narrative for the Investec Derby Festival throughout the Flat
season and follow the two year old activity leading up to the following
year's renewal of the Greatest Flat Race in the World.
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