By Tom Frary
Hertford Dancer does not hold an entry in the June 2 G1 Epsom Oaks, but she was firmly on top here as she sprang a minor surprise on her first attempt at black-type. Ironically sixth behind her stable's leading English or French Oaks contender and TDN Rising Star Shutter Speed (GB) (Dansili {GB}) over a mile at Yarmouth in October, the chestnut was kept going on the all-weather over the winter and booked this outing when showing promise as the runner-up in an extended 10-furlong handicap at Nottingham Apr. 12. Held up early in fourth, she was sent in pursuit of the likely winner Pocketfullofdreams from the top of the straight and after being angled around that Ballydoyle challenger collared her with a furlong to race and outstayed her from there.
Connections are not looking at a supplementary for the Oaks. “I thought she'd be in three, but I didn't think she'd win to be honest,” trainer John Gosden commented. “She's all heart though and when they never give up that's a lot of the battle. She has the heart the size of a lion. She always gives her best. She ran on well at Nottingham the other day but just ran out of real estate and that was a mile and a quarter, this was a mile and a half–this is what she wants. This was her Oaks day and we are very aware of that. I will think of something else other than Epsom and box clever. I know the family well. I bought the mare for Mr Strawbridge. He had three decent ones who all got to a level. This one, with the step up in trip, has just gone to another level.” Harry Herbert, who represents the breeder Highclere Stud, added, “Maybe a race like the [G2] Ribblesdale [S. June 22] will be right for her at Royal Ascot.”
Coolmore spokesman Kevin Buckley said of the runner-up, “She came to win the race, but after that it was a little fact-finding. I think she will probably drop back down to a mile and two furlongs to be honest. I think she is probably happier over that, as she showed at Navan last time. But she's run a good race–it is just the extra distance that found her out today. I would not make the ground as an excuse. We'll drop her back and you will be seeing plenty of her. She has a fair bit of ability and Ryan likes her, he rode her exactly as planned.”
Despite the low-key start to her career and her odds here suggesting Hertford Dancer is a lesser light with regards to pedigree, her second dam is the listed-winning Massarra (GB) (Danehill) who was also runner-up in the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Nell Gwyn S. Her trio by Galileo (Ire) were all black-type performers for Ballydoyle headed by the G1 St James's Palace S. third Mars (Ire), while her daughter of Cape Cross (Ire) Nayarra (Ire) won the G1 Grand Criterium and was also second in the Nell Gwyn. The third dam takes her paperwork to an exalted level, with the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Rafha the dam of the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup-winning leading sire Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) whose son Best Solution (Ire) took the Derby Trial on this card. Rafha is a half to the G3 Blandford S. scorer Chiang Mai (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) who produced the G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Chinese White (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Tebee also has a 2-year-old colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) named Rockabill (GB) and a yearling filly by Lope de Vega (Ire).
BETFRED MOBILE OAKS TRIAL FILLIES' S.-Listed, £40,000, LIN, 5-13, 3yo, f, 11f 133yT, 2:32.07, gd.
1–#HERTFORD DANCER (GB), 126, f, 3, by Foxwedge (Aus)
1st Dam: Tebee (GB), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Massarra (GB), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Rafha (GB), by Kris (GB)
O-5 Hertford Street Racing Club; B-Highclere Stud (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £22,684. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $35,029.
2–Pocketfullofdreams (Fr), 126, f, 3, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Dubai Rose (GB), by Dubai Destination. (€550,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith & Markus Jooste. £8,600.
3–The Sky Is Blazing (Ire), 126, f, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Mamonta (GB), by Fantastic Light. (€160,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; 240,000gns Ylg '15 TATOCT). O-Markus Jooste. £4,304.
Margins: 1HF, 6, 3 3/4. Odds: 8.00, 1.85, 1.35.
Also Ran: Camerone (Ire), Mary Anne Evans (GB), Flight of Fantasy (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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