Officially rated upwards of nine pounds above all rivals in Friday's G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom, Derrick Smith's Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is set to get back on the Classic track after a brief derailment in the May 22 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh. As authoritative as the form book said she was in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks prior to that contest, last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Fillies' Mile heroine was surprisingly beaten a head by the spirited front-runner Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) at The Curragh, having banged her head in the stalls. That setback may be behind her, but what lays ahead is a step into the unknown distance-wise, particularly now that the rain has presented the infamous Downs with a soaking. Her distinguished dam Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was never tried beyond a mile, so it will be the Galileo influence that will see her through alongside her obvious class edge.
“We can't be sure about the trip by any means,” Aidan O'Brien said on Thursday. “She has form in soft ground, but going a mile and a half first time you wouldn't be sure about it. We're looking forward to seeing her run over it. She's in good form and we're happy with her since the last day. Obviously she hasn't done much, but we're happy with her.” Ryan Moore added, “My high opinion of this filly is well-known and I was gutted that she got beaten in the Irish 1000 Guineas. But it was a late decision to run in the race after Ballydoyle was found to be off-colour and the fact that she banged her head coming out of the stalls didn't help. However, ultimately, I think that she just found the ground too soft for her against a filly who relished the conditions, and the pair did pull 10 lengths clear of the third.”
Also from Ballydoyle are the May 4 Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Somehow (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a daughter of the 2006 Oaks heroine Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), and the May 7 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial scorer Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). While they lack the class of Minding, they have at least shown a liking for the trip with the former, having Diamonds Pour Moi (GB) (Pour Moi {Ire}) back in third when winning the Cheshire Oaks and the latter mastering Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) by a neck in the Lingfield Oaks Trial over extended 11-furlong trips. “Somehow was very green at Chester. She handles an ease in the ground and it looks like one that will get a mile and a half,” the Ballydoyle trainer added. “We're hoping that she has learned a lot from Chester and we think that she has come forward.”
“Seventh Heaven looked green and a bit at sea in front at Lingfield,” O'Brien continued. “She was probably more green than anything. We think she has come forward. I don't think she wants the ground to get too soft, but she's in good form.”
Hugo Palmer is looking for a second Classic already this season and hopes that Chris Humber's Architecture can step up on her Lingfield form and provide it, but he is aware of the extent of her task. “She handled softish ground very well at Epsom's Breakfast With the Stars last week,” he explained. “There's a difference between galloping and running on it, but she also won her maiden on soft ground last year. If Minding is as brilliant over a mile and a half as she is over a mile, then we are all in serious trouble. However, I feel that there is every chance that she won't stay, on pedigree and style of racing, and that is obviously my hope, too.”
Pearl Bloodstock's Diamonds Pour Moi is the one who has the most improvement to find off her Chester form, but her trainer has a notable record in this race with two winners in the last eight runnings. “She worked well on Saturday and is a tough, light-framed filly,” he explained. “We're punting, but if you're not in it you can't win it.” The owner's racing manager David Redvers added, “Diamonds Pour Moi is very well. The little bit of ease in the ground at Epsom will suit her and we are looking forward to seeing her run very competitively. She was a bit green around Chester, but she learned a great deal and finished off her race nicely. Chester is great place to give them an education before they go to Epsom and she has come on a lot since then.”
Another outsider with minor claims is the May 11 G3 Musidora S. fourth Harlequeen (GB) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) and trainer Mick Channon said, “I don't think the problem was her greenness at York, they just went no pace and sprinted. I know she's a good filly, but if she's good enough to beat the likes of Minding, we'll see.
June Judd's Turret Rocks (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is the one in the line-up with the strongest chance of beating Minding based on her win in the G2 May Hill S. in September and second to Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp the following month. She was sixth in the Newmarket Guineas, but the 2003 heroine Casual Look (Red Ransom) had also finished in that position prior to her success here before, and last year's winner Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was last in the 2015 edition of that Classic.
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