Oaks hopefuls on York route to Epsom glory

May 14 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

SEVERAL leaders fancies put their Juddmonte Oaks credentials on the line this afternoon in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York with Moonstone and Dar Re Mi heading the eight-strong field.

Aidan O’Brien’s Moonstone had been well supported in recent weeks for the Fillies’ Classic at Epsom and is a 7-1 chance with several firms including the big two of Ladbrokes and William Hill.

Vying for favouritism is and Dar Re Mi, trained by John Gosden. The Singspiel filly is also 7-1 with the same firms.

While the Ballydoyle filly Moonstone has run just once so far when second to Dermot Weld’s Winchester at Leopardstown, Dar Re Mi built on her second-placed finish in a maiden last year to run out an impressive seven-length winner at Sandown on her seasonal reappearance.

But it is far from a two-horse race this afternoon with Jim Bolger’s Lush Lashes, who was a two-length sixth in the 1,000 Guineas behind Natagora at Newmarket earlier in the month, and Peter Chapple-Hyam’s unbeaten Cape Amber likely to push their claims for Epsom glory.

Sir Michael Stoute, who won the Musidora with subsequent Oaks heroine Islington in 2002 and, saddles Sovereign’s Honour this time. Although the Saeed Suhail-owned filly was more then seven lengths adrift of Cape Amber on her debut last year and eight lengths behind Dar Re Mi at Sandown, connections are hopeful of improvement this afternoon.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Sovereign’s Honour’s owner, said: “Sir Michael Stoute feels she has improved enough from her Sandown run to warrant taking her chance in the Musidora. It’s obviously a big step up in class but hopefully she can get some black type. ”

Sylvester Kirk is also hopeful of a big run for Comeback Queen, was second in the Masaka Stakes on his last start. She will be ridden by Merseyside dual Classic-winning jockey Martin Dwyer, who also has hopes of victory with the unexposed Stoute-trained Tanweer in the BlueSquare Premier Goes to Wembley Handicap – the race before the Musidora.

Tanweer is owned by Shiekh Hamdan Al Maktoum and trainer Kevin Prendergast expects a “big run” from another of his horses, Haatef, in the Duke of York Hearthstead Homes Stakes on the Knavesmire this afternoon.

The four-year-old secured a superb victory over Dark Missile, a winner at the Royal meeting, in the Diadem Stakes at Ascot on his final start of last season.

Haatef looks to have a big chance of landing another Group Two contest for his Irish handler.

Prendergast said: “If the ground is similar to what it was like at Ascot when he won the Diadem we expect a big run.

“He beat most of them that are in the race tomorrow in the Diadem and he looks to have shown the normal improvement from three to four. If he shows the improvement that we expect him to, and matches what he has done physically, we expect a big run.”

Haatef is drawn in four, the same stall last year’s winner Amadeus Wolf came from and low to middle numbers have generally held sway down the years in the seven-furlong contest.

But trainer James Eustace was unhappy with the stall one from where his South African import War Artist must come from.

Eustace said: “We’ve got a horrible draw. The only draw I didn’t want was one and that’s what we’ve got, but if there’s speed on our side then it’s not so bad. Anyway, we are stuck there and we’ll have to make the best of it.”

YORK PREDICTIONS (Day One): 1.40pm Supaseus 2.10pm TANWEER (NAP) 2.40pm Comeback Queen (each-way)3.10pm Haatef 3.45pm Prince Sabaah 4.20pm Majaba 4.55pm Allied Powers