Tag Archive for: Cheshire Oaks

Forest pips Port in Cheshire Oaks Fairy-tale

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Forest Fairy enhanced her Betfred Oaks claims with a narrow victory in the Weatherbys E-Passport Cheshire Oaks at Chester.

Heading to the Roodee on the back of an impressive win at Wolverhampton on debut, big-race pilot Rossa Ryan pulled his mount wide as the six runners turned for home and just got up to beat Port Fairy by a head on the 11-4 shot for Ralph Beckett.

Ryan had failed to win at the course in 39 previous attempts before finally finding his way to the winner’s enclosure aboard the promising three-year-old.

He said: “We went an okay gallop, they steadied up down the back and we got racing three (furlongs) out.

“She’s still showed a lot of signs of inexperience when I had to come out from behind and be a bit aggressive on her, but you can’t be but impressed by the way she got out and had a look around and still when the job needed to be done, she stuck her head down and galloped right out to the line.

“I’ll leave it up to Ralph and the team to decide where she goes next, but I would imagine that when she gets on softer going conditions, she’ll be a lot better again – and I’d imagine with racing, she’ll get better.

“She got away with the ground today, it’s probably on the slow side of good and I don’t think she’d want it any quicker than that.

“She did everything I asked of her and more and answered more questions than I thought she would. We shall see what the future holds, but she’s an exciting filly for sure and she’s one that should get better with time and with age.”

Forest Fairy (second left) looks to be an Epsom contender after her win at Chester
Forest Fairy (second left) looks to be an Epsom contender after her win at Chester (Mike Egerton/PA)

Forest Fairy now looks to have booked her ticket to Epsom later this month, with the daughter of Waldgeist cut from 20-1 to 16s for Classic success in the Oaks at Epsom with sponsors Betfred and shortened to 10-1 by Betfair.

Beckett, who also saddled the third-placed Seaward, said: “It was a very good result on all levels, the winner is still a work in progress and was still learning plenty on the job today.

“I think it’s probable she’ll end up at Epsom on the last Friday of the month. I don’t think I will be too worried about the ground, they usually do a good job for the first day of that meeting, she’s a good-moving filly and I would imagine it will be similar ground to today.

“She was just very immature at two and we had to take our time with her. I think we were all a bit surprised by how well she won on her debut at Wolverhampton, but we certainly haven’t underestimated her since!”

He added on Seaward: “The filly that finished third ran a good race too and she could come back to 10 furlongs for a race like the Agnes Keyser at Goodwood (June 9).”



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Joseph O’Brien believes Galileo Dame can answer Cheshire Oaks question

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Joseph O’Brien has watched his father Aidan win the Weatherbys E-Passport Cheshire Oaks a record eight times, but now has the chance to join him on the roll of honour with Galileo Dame holding leading claims at Chester on Wednesday.

The daughter of Galileo Gold built on an encouraging effort on debut at Gowran late last year to defeat his father’s Rubies Are Red when opening her account at Leopardstown last month.

She pulled three and a half lengths clear in that maiden contest and now takes the step up to Pattern company with her handler eager to test her credentials at a higher level on this raiding mission to the Roodee.

“She won really nicely at Leopardstown and now steps up slightly in trip which we think she will handle fine,” said O’Brien.

“Her two runs so far have been on soft ground, so getting on better ground will be a slight unknown for her.

“However, we think she is a nice filly who will be able to hold her own in Listed company going forward.”

As well as the aforementioned Rubies Are Red, Aidan O’Brien will also saddle Dundalk maiden winner Port Fairy in a race he has won five times in the last 10 years.

Aidan O’Brien has an excellent record at Chester
Aidan O’Brien has an excellent record at Chester (Brian Lawless/PA)

Also saddling two in the race is Ralph Beckett, who appears to have strong claims with impressive Wolverhampton scorer Forest Fairy and also runs Seaward who was pitched into Group One company when last seen at the end of 2023.

The former holds an entry for both the Betfred Oaks at Epsom and the Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot and her handler is looking forward to seeing her hit the track for only a second time.

“It was a good effort first time and I don’t think we were expecting it,” said Beckett.

“She has done well for the time she has been given in between. She’s a tall, well-balanced filly who has worked well on the grass at home and we’re looking forward to it.

“This is the right place for her and she’s been training well in the run up to it.”

On Seaward, he added: “We set her a stiff task last year, but she has wintered well and she’s a handy filly who will handle the track well in our view.

“We’re drawn well with both fillies which is always a big help (at Chester).”

Andrew Balding’s Lasting Love has twice caught the eye in defeat and could be an improver, while similar could be said for John and Thady Gosden’s Beeley, who steps up in trip having finished second on both times she has consented to race so far.

Beeley is still a maiden after two starts
Beeley is still a maiden after two starts (Simon Marper/PA)

A spirited daughter of Camelot, the Duke Of Devonshire-owned three-year-old has twice got loose before entering the stalls, but she clearly possess ability and pushed a well-regarded stablemate close at Sandown last time.

“She ran very well at Sandown last time which was only her second start,” said Thady Gosden.

“It was only her second start and she will improve for the step up in trip. It was a stiff mile and a half at Sandown and hopefully she will enjoy the extra distance.”

Not many will go from a 0-75 handicap to a Listed Oaks trial, but that is challenge presented to Adrian Keatley’s hat-trick-seeking Flying Finn. Ambiente Amigo was well held on her Newmarket return but has previously contested at the highest level and is held in high regard by trainer James Owen.



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O’Brien and Moore have Savethelastdance to look forward to at Chester

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Aidan O’Brien loves the Cheshire Oaks, having saddled the winner on no less than seven occasions in the last 14 renewals.

He sends Savethelastdance to the Roodee on Wednesday as the hot favourite for the Weatherbys Digital Solutions-sponsored race, which is a notable Classic trial.

The Galileo filly – who is shading ante-post favouritism for the Oaks itself – was a little green on her juvenile debut at Thurles in October, when finishing fifth to the more experienced Foniska, yet she clearly thrived over the winter and defeated better-fancied stablemate Boogie Woogie in comfortable fashion at Leopardstown on her reappearance in heavy ground a month ago.

Though she was a 20-1 shot that day, jockey Ryan Moore feels the form looks solid and she steps into Listed company with a ringing endorsement.

“I haven’t ridden her in a race yet, but I saw the back of her as she beat me on Boogie Woogie in some style over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown last month and the runner-up won well for me at Naas afterwards,” Moore told his Betfair blog.

“That victory was a massive step up from her debut effort at two, but there was no fluke about it and this beautifully-bred Galileo filly out of a Grade One winner in the States is clearly an exciting prospect.

“It was heavy at Leopardstown but the expected better ground here should be fine, though rain is due all week I see, so it may be testing by race time.”

The Charlie Johnston-trained Sirona won twice in four starts as a juvenile, including a Listed seven-and-a-half-furlong race at Cologne in September. Like Luckin Brew, William Buick’s mount takes a big step up from a mile to an extended mile and three furlongs for the first time, having disappointed in the same Pontefract race.

Owner Jayne McGivern said: “She has wintered really well. She is working well at home and is bred for distance and we were surprised at how well she had done as a two-year-old over a mile. We kind of were not expecting that.

“This will tell us a lot about her. She had a fantastic page when I bought her, she’s not overly big, but her confirmation’s great and she surprised us how good she was and she got black type. I think the Silver Tankard (Pontefract) was a race too far as she had a few races in quick succession.

“We had her entered in the Pretty Polly and that was the original plan, but we were worried about the ground. Mark and Charlie (Johnston) preferred the Chester race anyway.

“It is a bit of a tall order, we have thrown her in a bit at the deep end, but on the other hand, if she is good enough, she’ll be fine.

“She has entries in the Oaks and Ribblesdale, and is also in the German Oaks, and you might think about York.”

Co-trainers Freddie (left) and father Martyn Meade have high hopes for Ashtanga
Co-trainers Freddie (left) and father Martyn Meade have high hopes for Ashtanga (Mike Egerton/PA)

Connections of Ashtanga are hoping the extra distance will see her build on her two starts as a two-year-old, which included a maiden success at Nottingham over an extended mile.

Trained by Martyn and Freddie Meade, the daughter of Nathaniel will be ridden by Oisin Murphy on her three-year-old debut.

Freddie Meade said: “We are very pleased with her. She did nothing wrong last year. She was a real shell of a filly and all she has done is improve over the winter.

“Oisin has come and sat on her a couple of times and I think he shares the same enthusiasm for her this year. Hopefully the step up in trip will eke more improvement and hopefully she will have an exciting year.

“I think Chester will suit her. She is very balanced and she ran well at Salisbury first time out, which can find them out a little bit.

“I think we have the Oaks as the idea for her. Why not throw her in at the deep end and see how we get on.”

Cite d’Or is the most experienced in the field, having already had 10 runs, four of them since the turn of the year.

Having wintered in Dubai, where she was beaten over 15 lengths by subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Mawj, she returned to England and was a close-up third to colts Epictetus and Hadrianus in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.

Trainer Harry Eustace said: “She really ran well last time and certainly got back on track from her last couple of runs last year, so that was nice to see.”

“We saw Mawj from a distance in Meydan and in hindsight, the race programme just wasn’t there and she clearly needs a trip.

“As soon as we got her back on soft ground over a trip, she came right back to form. She ran well at Epsom last year, so that helps.

“The thinking is she might like idiosyncratic tracks. It just seems to keep her more interested than others, and this is a furlong and a half further, which is a positive.

“We have put cheekpieces on for the first time. She didn’t really travel that well early on at Epsom, so Pierre just managed to keep tabs on her and then she ran well after. At Chester, it would be harder to do if she didn’t travel, so we are just trying to make Pierre’s life easier.

“We are quite exposed in comparison. Everyone likes the potential of something, whereas we are showing that we are a genuine 100-rated horse at a mile and a quarter and if the extra furlong and a half brings a little bit more out, then I think we can be very competitive in that race.

“We like the ground, and are hoping there will be a bit of rain.”



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