Soul Sister can deliver fifth Oaks for Dettori
Frankie Dettori has already tasted Classic glory in his farewell season and it could get even better as Soul Sister looks to tick all the right boxes in the Betfred Oaks.
The Italian was successful on his last ever ride in the 2000 Guineas with Chaldean, and Soul Sister can provide him with a fourth Oaks win since 2017 and a fifth overall.
Winner of her only outing at two over a mile at Doncaster, it was quite surprising to see her reappear in the Fred Darling.
That 1000 Guineas trial is over seven furlongs at Newbury and this year took place on bottomless ground. A combination of that and the Gosden string being a little slower coming to hand than usual caught her out.
She then went to York for the Musidora, which tends to be among the best trials for the Oaks, so clearly her connections had retained the faith even if the punters did not, allowing her to go off at 18-1 in a field of eight.
Ridden confidently by Dettori, she moved smoothly into contention before sprinting clear to win by four lengths from a filly with Group One form at two.
There is no doubting her stamina as her sister won over a mile and three quarters, and Frankel has plenty of winners over a mile and a half in any case.
Savethelastdance may be the freak she looked at Chester but that was, by Classic trial standards, a very poor race and if something looks too good to be true it generally is.
The Dahlbury Coronation Cup may only have five runners but all five have legitimate claims.
Hurricane Lane’s career looked to be drifting out to sea before he bounced back at Newmarket last time out, while Point Lonsdale appears to be delivering on the promise he showed at two.
German raider Tunnes is a half-brother to Arc winner Torquator Tasso and adds an overseas element, with Emily Upjohn suffering defeat by a nose in the Oaks last year.
However, Westover brings very solid claims to the table having finished third in last year’s Derby, won the Irish version and run respectably in the Arc on ground he would not have liked.
Arguably his career-best effort was his most recent when he chased home Japanese superstar Equinox in
Dubai. Sometimes Meydan form does not translate back in the UK, but Westover has a decent enough body of work already so that we can probably take it for what it was.
Balon D’Or can be marked up for his last run at Chester so he rates the best bet in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Woodcote EBF Stakes.
Hugo Palmer’s Kodiac colt wonondebutandthenshowed blistering early speed at Chester,butwasbeatenalengthand a half by Ziggy’s Phoenix.