Epsom or Chantilly? Juddmonte filly cut to 8-1 for the Oaks after routing Group 3 rivals

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Less than two hours after Newbury debutant I'm The One caused a big shake-up in the market for the Betfred Oaks, a second major statement was made at Saint-Cloud by Gilded Prize, who dominated the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre under Colin Keane.

The imposing daughter of Frankel enjoyed an uncontested lead, but after turning in a turbo-charged closing three furlongs of 34.48 seconds for an easy winning distance of three and a half lengths over Warriors Whisper, there can be little argument that Gilded Prize achieved plenty in making it three wins in as many starts for Juddmonte and Francis Graffard.

Keane was persuaded to come over and ride for her second start on the Chantilly Polytrack last month and was already a paid-up member of the fan club before this latest demonstration.

"She gave me a lovely impression the first day I rode her on the all-weather," said Keane. "If you see her in the flesh she’s such a big, good-looking filly; she looks like a colt. She got her own way in front and quickened well. She’s a very nice filly."

Asked whether the Cleopatre trip of 1m2½f was still on the sharp side, Keane said: "You’d probably get the wrong picture if you look at her size but she can quicken, so I’d say that’s a good spot for her at the moment, I wouldn’t be in a rush to go further I don’t think.

"She was able to win as a two-year-old being that size so they told me it was in my interest to come over and ride her on the all-weather, and they were duly right. She’s a lovely filly."

Ladbrokes were suitably impressed and halved Gilded Prize's Oaks price from 16-1 into 8-1, while William Hill went 16s into 10-1. Sponsors Betfred make her one of four co-second favourites at 8-1.

She is entered at Epsom and Chantilly, so Graffard and the Juddmonte hierarchy will have some interesting discussions as to which Classic to aim for, though the trainer didn't downplay the chances of heading across the English Channel.

"Physically and going by her attitude, I’ve always felt she was my filly for the Oaks at Epsom," said Graffard. "But there’s some speed in her pedigree and she has a good turn of foot so you could also say she’s my best chance in the Prix de Diane. She had a good blow afterwards so we’ll see how she comes out of this.

"She certainly needed the run because she only just does enough in the morning. She has such a big stride on her she finds work all too easy."

Colin Keane and Gilded Prize return after dominating the Prix Cleopatre

Gilded Prize has height to go with her power and the question of her suitability for the unique demands of Epsom might be one question mark.

"You never know whether they will handle it (Epsom) and it’s true it’s a very particular challenge," said Graffard, who knows exactly what is required in the French version of the Oaks, having won at Chantilly with Channel in 2019 and Gezora last season. "But the Diane can be a bit trappy and turn into a sprint so we’ll see.

"A lot will depend on whether I run her again in the Prix Saint-Alary [at Longchamp on May 10], which would help in getting her 100 per cent fit. It’s hard to get her tuned-up in the mornings and so she needs to race."

Runner-up Warriors Whisper could also be on her travels in the future after her joint-trainer Carlos Lerner lamented the lack of pace.

"We tried to hide her away but she pulled far too hard and that's why she finished weakly," said Lerner. "Nothing has been decided but I think we'll look at Britain where the races are run at a decent rhythm."

Betfred Oaks (4.00 Epsom, June 5)
Betfred: 7 I'm The One, 8 Abashiri, Ameila Earhart, Gilded Prize, Precise, 10 Diamond Necklace, 16 My Ophelia, 25 Legacy Link, Eretria, 33 bar.

Read this next:

John and Thady Gosden filly shoots to head of Oaks market after stunning debut success