Amelia Earhart usurps I'm The One as Oaks favourite after passing Epsom audition with flying colours

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A quirky horse on a quirky track could have been a recipe for disaster, but all the ingredients for Classic success were on display as Amelia Earhart soared to favouritism for the Betfred Oaks with a dominant success in the Cheshire Oaks.

Aidan O'Brien has been preparing his blue-blooded three-year-olds at Chester long enough to know what is required and Amelia Earhart, in an unusual hood-and-blinkers combination, looked supremely straightforward under Ryan Moore when accounting for 6-5 favourite I'm The One by two lengths.

The well-backed 13-8 winner, who O'Brien described as "a bit quirky and kinky" last month, was a slow-burning juvenile last year – getting off the mark at the fifth attempt – but she was transformed by the extra time and greater test of stamina.

"Aidan thought the headgear might get her to focus a little bit round here and my God she did, didn't she?" said Coolmore representative Paul Smith.

"She's a big, strong filly with a beautiful stride and a great temperament. She stayed the trip well and hit the line well, so you couldn't be more delighted.

"She'll probably go to the Oaks off the back of that. The step up in trip was always there in the pedigree, and it showed today. She's a beautiful specimen and the trip obviously helped."

As a sister to Chester Cup winner Cleveland, there should not have been any doubt about Amelia Earhart acting on the tight, turning circuit and so it proved as she stamped her authority in such a manner she usurped I'm The One at the head of the sponsors' Oaks betting at 100-30 (from 8), with the runner-up pushed out to 11-2 (from 3).

As it turned out, I'm The One, an impressive winner on her debut at Newbury last month, was the one not at home on the track as she charted a wide course on the final turn.

In contrast, Amelia Earhart, named after the aviation pioneer, powered home straight and true to pass her Epsom audition with flying colours.

She followed up last year's victory by subsequent Epsom heroine Minnie Hauk to deliver O'Brien his tenth Cheshire Oaks trophy and Moore his eighth.

"I was very happy with her, she's a fine, big filly by Camelot – a family we know well," said the jockey.

"She was well suited by the step up in trip, she handled the ground and she's done everything right. She's a really nice filly for the rest of the year.

" That'll do her good today, she'll have learned plenty and she's enjoyed herself."

Joint-trainer John Gosden had played down the comparisons with Enable being levelled at I'm The One, but he might have seen enough in the Sea The Stars filly to head for a rematch at Epsom.

"You come here to learn about Epsom and bends – and she certainly learned about the latter," he said.

"William [Buick] couldn't get inside and when she was outside she went to the middle of the track. It was the second run of her life and it was a very solid effort. Take nothing from the winner; she's very smart.

"We know from this a mile and a half is no problem; we know she could handle Epsom too. We've also got the race at Ascot [the Ribblesdale Stakes] and we've no need to make decisions yet."

Betfred Oaks (Epsom, June 5)
Betfred: 100-30 Amelia Earhart, 11-2 I’m The One, 8 Diamond Necklace, 9 Abashiri, 14 Felicitas, Venetian Lace, 16 bar.

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