Minding Faces Eight In Oaks

Fully recovered from the knock in the stalls that may or may not have led to her surprise defeat in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh last Sunday, Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) faces only eight in Friday's G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom, which is the smallest field since Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was one of seven 12 years ago. Ballydoyle were also responsible for the two absentees on Wednesday, the Listed Pretty Polly S. third Even Song (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and G3 Blue Wind S. fourth How High the Moon (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), while keeping in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Listed Cheshire Oaks scorer Somehow (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) to join Minding. Godolphin's supplementary Skiffle (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is bidding to provide the operation with a fourth renewal and first since Kazzia (Ger) (Zinaad {GB}), who was the last to complete the 1000 Guineas-Oaks double in 2002. Successful in the Listed Height of Fashion S. over 10 furlongs at Goodwood May 19, she is looking to become the third Oaks heroine to come off a win in that prep since the turn of the century.

With rain arriving on Tuesday, the ground should be no faster than good by Friday according to Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper. “We were told we'd probably get five to 10 millimetres of rain, but that it could be more and we ended up with about 20mm,” he said. “The main theme is for it to be dry but cloudy and overcast for the next couple of days, possibly with some light showers in the mix. It's not a completely clear outlook. It's not guaranteed to stay dry, but the bulk of the days will be dry and overcast. There won't be rapid drying conditions, but it will dry and settle a bit more all the time. This is probably as soft as it will get. The week will see an improvement, albeit a relatively slow one. I think we will be heading back towards good as the week goes on.”

Regarding Skiffle, Godolphin's chief executive John Ferguson said, “Skiffle is by Dubawi, whose offspring handle ease in the ground, and also her dam, Princess Dansante, was effective in soft ground in France. She's a quality filly whose progress has been remarkable. She emerged from Goodwood working and looking like an Oaks filly. We couldn't be happier.”