Snowfall forecast for Epsom success
Aidan O’Brien can dominate on day one of the Cazoo Derby Festival, with Snowfall and Japan taken to complete a Group One double for the Ballydoyle team.
O’Brien has his usual strong hand in the Oaks, with Snowfall one of five contenders and seemingly the yard’s second-string behind favourite Santa Barbara.
However, it would not be the first time the O’Brientrained market leader was usurped by a stablemate and Snowfall’s recent Musidora victory at York gives plenty of encouragement.
The Deep Impact filly did not look anything special as a juvenile last year and was found wanting on more than one occasion in top company – but she looked a different proposition entirely upped to 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire.
Admittedly she received a peach of a front-running ride from Ryan Moore, but she was certainly not stopping at the finish and can be expected to take another step forward from her first competitive run of the campaign.
Snowfall looked as though she would relish another move up in trip in beating Noon Star by the best part of four lengths, an opinion further evidenced by the fact she hails from the family of the top-class Found – a comment which also applies to fellow Ballydoyle inmate Divinely.
The latter has attracted an avalanche of support in recent days, but whether she can deal with the Epsom cambers is a question mark, as it is for many in the field, and Snowfall – who will have the assistance of Frankie Dettori – looks as good as any in what appears to be an open year.
Japan is no stranger to Epsom, having finished third in the 2019 Derby, and he can continue his renaissance in the Coral Coronation Cup.
He looked a top-notch colt in his three-year-old season, shrugging off Derby defeat to win the King Edward VII at Ascot, before adding Group One victories in the Grand Prix de Paris and Juddmonte International, where he claimed a notable scalp in beating Crystal Ocean a head.
Japan rounded off his 2019 campaign with fourth place in the Arc, looking sure to be among the top rank in 2020, but his season never really got going, with third place in the Eclipse the best of five efforts.
O’Brien has stated the decision to drop back to 10 furlongs for his first couple of runs last year was likely a mistake, and his fire certainly seemed to be reignited when upped to an extended mile and five furlongs in Chester’s Ormonde Stakes last month.
Japan travelled well and while Trueshan got to within three-quarters of a length conceding weight, it was a nice starting point and the son of Galileo should now be primed to move back up to the highest level.