Gosden Weighs In On Oaks Favorite

GOSDEN WEIGHS IN ON OAKS FAVORITE 
Trainer John Gosden will hope to earn his second European Classic of the season–the first coming in last weekend’s G1 Irish 2000 Guineas with Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire})–in the G1 Investec Oaks June 6, and he has as good a chance as any with the early favorite Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who stretched her legs at Epsom’s Breakfast with the Stars yesterday. Lightly raced with just two starts under her 
belt, the Sheikh Hamdan silkbearer is unbeaten, with a most recent six-length decimation of the Listed Pretty Polly S. May 4 under her belt. Gosden noted that the sophomore fillies’ division is coming up much more evenly matched than the colts’ this year. 
“She is a very nice filly,” Gosden noted of Taghrooda. “People are quite correct to question the form [of her Pretty Polly win]. I think the second is a decent filly but she didn’t handle the testing ground next time at Goodwood, and the third filly is pretty moody and did not run great in a Newbury trial. 
“You win by six lengths and it is not your fault if the others do not go on,” he added. “She has gone nicely here this morning [with her Investec Oaks jockey Paul Hanagan in the saddle] and soft ground would not be her favorite, but she handled it. I feel the step-up in trip will help her. However, I think the Investec Oaks is a race with great depth whereas Australia showed form way ahead of anything else in the Guineas for the Investec Derby. The Investec Oaks is a race where you can make a case for at least half a dozen to win.” 
Last year’s G3 Prestige S. heroine Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) also made an appearance yesterday. The Sir Robert Odgen homebred will be the mount of Frankie Dettori, and will make a belated seasonal debut after being withheld from G1 1000 Guineas due to an illness in trainer Ed Dunlop’s stable. 
“The whole idea was to get her here today after she missed a race in the spring,” said Dettori. “It is well documented that Ed’s horses were under a cloud, but they seem to have turned the corner. She is working well and, when you do miss a trial, it is good to get her here and show her the place and stretch her legs. It is a special course. We are pleased with her and the rain is quite a good thing because she has raced on soft before and likes it. I would say most of the track today was soft and perhaps between the five and three-furlong poles it was on the heavy side. It is softer than it looks.” 
Amazing Maria will look to give Dunlop, who will also be represented by Island Remede (GB) (Medicean {GB}), his third Oaks crown. 
“We feel that Amazing Maria has definitely got natural ability, but there is a question mark about going from a mile to a mile and a half so that is a concern,” Dettori added. “Ed has done it before with Ouija Board (GB) [2004] and Snow Fairy (Ire) [2010] in the Investec Oaks.” 
Kirsten Rausing homebred Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko) burst onto the Oaks scene with a victory in the G3 Musidora S. May 14, and trainer David Simcock is hoping Britain’s recent run of wet weather continues for his charge. 
“Hopefully, next week will be as wet as this week and she handles soft ground very well,” he said. “She is very likeable and has got a great pick-up. She does not do anything particularly quickly but she gets there.” 
Madame Chiang will be ridden in the Oaks by William Buick, who partnered her in a spin around Epsom yesterday. 
“William said that coming down the hill she switched onto the right leg straightaway, and it is very pleasing,” Simcock said. “It was only a routine canter, but all worked out very well. This was the first time William had sat on her. Kieren [Fallon] would have ridden her, but he is on Ihtimal. We were looking for a suitable replacement and it was as much Kirsten’s decision as mine to put William on.” 
Trainer Aidan O’Brien is bidding for his fifth Oaks, and while he has yet to finalize his list of contenders, it could include last weekend’s G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Marvellous (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as Bracelet (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), J “TDN Rising Star” J Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Dazzling (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 
“Tapestry traveled nicely early on at the Guineas, but she went flat when Joseph asked her to quicken half a mile out, so he looked after her,” O’Brien noted. “I felt she was a little bit light in the parade ring but she’s had a good break and I’m happy with her now.” 
“There’s a lot of speed in Marvellous’ pedigree, but she’s by Galileo and they stay well,” he continued. “They all did a bit of work this morning and everyone seems happy. They’ll do a bit more early next week and then everyone will sit down and discuss what we do.”