Dante form takes a severe dent, O'Brien fillies on the charge and red-hot formline points to 50-1 July Cup shot

O’Brien could mop up in multiple divisions with classy fillies

Aidan O’Brien has an abundance of classy three-year-old colts he can split up and attack the mile and middle-distance divisions with this summer, and the same is now true with his fillies after a one-two in the Oaks.

Minnie Hauk and Whirl contested the race between themselves over the last two furlongs, and while the last two Oaks winners only raced once more between them following their Epsom triumphs, hopefully we will see plenty of these two talented fillies over the next few months.

Minnie Hauk was a worthy winner but that should not overshadow the superb effort of Musidora winner Whirl in her attempt to make all, her stamina perhaps not quite lasting out to the same effect as stablemate Lambourn, who pulled off the same feat 24 hours later. 

Whirl has vastly improved this season and could be a force to be reckoned with over a mile and a quarter. If Minnie Hauk goes for the Irish Oaks and sticks to the mile-and-a-half route with the ultimate end goal of the Arc, that could free up Whirl for races like the Pretty Polly, Nassau and Irish Champion Stakes.

O’Brien’s dominance this year may only just be beginning.
Sam Hendry

Red-hot Lingfield form points to 50-1 July Cup hopeful

Spiritual ran out an impressive winner of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Saturday, stepping forward on her reappearance third in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield.

The Chartwell form was boosted further on Saturday afternoon when Jabaara, who had finished a neck second in the Group 3 contest, justified 5-6 favouritism in a Listed event at Musselburgh.

Great Generation (blue) wins last month's Chartwell Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield; form that was boosted over the weekendCredit: GROSSICK RACING

It could therefore pay to follow Marco Botti’s Great Generation, who ran out the winner at Lingfield and gave away 3lb to Jabaara and Spiritual.

After Great Generation’s Chartwell victory, Botti said he “would love to run her” in the July Cup at Newmarket, where the “nice stiff finish on the July course will suit her down to the ground".

She is a 50-1 shot for the 6f Group 1 and that price looks too big.
Joe Eccles

Dante form takes a beating

The fates of the Dante runners who rocked up for the Derby did not make for pretty reading. 

The six colts who went on from York filled six of the last eight positions at Epsom, with Dante one-two Pride Of Arras and Damysus particularly disappointing as they finished 17th and 18th.

Dante one-two Pride Of Arras (right) and Damysus (red cap) brought up the tail in the DerbyCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nightwalker and The Lion In Winter were both never involved, while Sea Scout and Tuscan Hills faded in the home straight having been close to the pace. 

It may be too soon to write them all off after just one sub-standard run, but the fact none of them made any impression does not bode well, and the Dante's usually reliable status as the best Derby trial and a race to follow is under threat this year.
Sam Hendry

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