Channon excited about Caernarfon’s Oaks bid
CAERNARFON is reminding Jack Channon of some of the great fillies of his past ahead of her tilt at the Betfred Oaks at Epsom.
The daughter of Cityscape gave Channon’s father Mick success in the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes last autumn and it would be somewhat fitting if she was to build on her 1000 Guineas fourth and provide the younger Channon with a Classic victory in his first season since taking over the training licence at West Ilsley when the mile-and-a-half fillies’ classic takes place on Friday afternoon.
As well as assisting his father, Channon has previously spent time working for Clive Brittain, and having been encouraged by what he has seen from Caernarfon since Newmarket, is now looking forward to her next big-race assignment, believing she compares favourably with some former top-class fillies.
“We’re really excited, she ran an absolute belter in the 1000 Guineas,” said Channon. “I’ve been very lucky to have been around some good fillies in the shape of Rizeena and some of dad’s good fillies – Samitar, Queen’s Logic, Music Show, Nahoodh and all those – and it’s very exciting to have one again. They are very hard to come by, but she gives me a similar feel to some of those good ones.”
Caernarfon was staying on well in the closing stages of the 1000 Guineas but will now have to prove her stamina as she takes the leap up to a mile and a half on the Downs.
Channon continued: “Her work has taken a step up since Newmarket and she did a wonderful piece of work on Friday that got everyone excited. We’re quietly hopeful she stays. We felt going into the Guineas she would benefit from a mile and a quarter. It’s one of those where we don’t know if she will stay a mile and a half, but she looks a stayer physically.”