G1 Cazoo Oaks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Noon Star Out of Cazoo Oaks as Field Takes Shape

Juddmonte homebred Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) has had a “temporary setback” and will not run in the G1 Cazoo Oaks on the first day of the Cazoo Derby Festival, Juddmonte Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe announced. Third on debut at Salisbury on Sept. 3, the bay graduated in a Nottingham maiden on Oct. 14 and was put away for the season. She made her 3-year-old bow with a 2 1/2-length win at Wetherby on Apr. 25 and was last seen finishing second in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

“This filly has had a temporary setback so [she] will not run in the Cazoo Oaks on Friday,” he said. “All being well, she could head to the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot.”

Juddmonte homebred Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) has had a “temporary setback” and will not run in the G1 Cazoo Oaks on the first day of the Cazoo Derby Festival, trainer Sir Michael Stoute announced on Tuesday.

“Noon Star will not now be running in the Cazoo Oaks on Friday, due to a blood disorder,” Stoute said in a statement.

Third on debut at Salisbury on Sept. 3, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained bay graduated in a Nottingham maiden on Oct. 14 and was put away for the season. She made her 3-year-old bow with a 2 1/2-length win at Wetherby on Apr. 25 and was last seen finishing second in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

Added Juddmonte Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe, “This filly has had a temporary setback so [she] will not run in the Cazoo Oaks on Friday,” he said. “All being well, she could head to the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot.”

Aidan O'Brien Quintet Sitting On Go
Aidan O'Brien still has five fillies in Friday's feature race, however, including ante-post favourite Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The daughter of Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill) won her maiden impressively at The Curragh on Sept. 26 and was a solid fourth in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 2.

“Santa Barbara is very well and this was always pencilled in to be her second run this year,” said O'Brien. “We were delighted with her run in the Guineas and everything has gone well with her since. That was a big ask for her. She passed every test we put in front of her with flying colours and probably to ask for any other result wouldn't have been right.

“We were always going to go into the Oaks not knowing if she stays a mile and a half–I suppose we're going to find that out. She's by Camelot, which is a big help, and we know she's got a lot of class.

“She's only had the two runs, which is not a lot going into the Oaks, but we're excited and looking forward to seeing her run.”

Another Coolmore partners/O'Brien filly is the upwardly mobile Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The February-foaled bay already has eight starts under her belt and was an impressive winner of the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

“We were delighted with her [Snowfall] in York and she's come out of that very well. We think maybe going up in trip on better ground and maybe having a year under her belt to get stronger has all been a help to her,” O'Brien said. “She's always been a very good home worker and always worked like a filly that had loads of class.”

Rounding out the fivesome is G3 Kilcarn Stud Flame Of Tara Irish EBF S. heroine Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the SP La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Willow (Ire) (American Pharoah), who broke her maiden at Leopardstown in October and was third in the G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind S. at Naas on May 8.

“We always liked Divinely a lot,” O'Brien added. “She's a sister to Found who won a Group 3 last year and has had the one run in Lingfield this year. Ryan said he was delighted with the run. He said they went very slow and that didn't suit her, but he was really happy with her.

“Her homework has been very nice since and all her figures from her works have been coming out very high– that's usually a very good sign.

“La Joconde is another filly we always thought more of than she showed. We think there's plenty to come from her–she's a very solid filly and we think that she has loads of quality.

“Willow is out of Peeping Fawn and has progressed with every run and will progress more. She'll love the trip and if there is any ease in the ground, that won't bother her. Physically she's done very well as well.

“We just think and feel that they're all bred to be Oaks fillies and it might be very wrong to stop them from taking their chance.”

Smooth Sailing For Ocean Road
Qatar Racing's Ocean Road (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is in fine fettle prior to a start in the G1 Cazoo Oaks on Friday. The Hugo Palmer-trained filly was second in a Nottingham maiden race, before saluting over the Lingfield all-weather on Dec. 2. Her latest start was a third in the Listed Novibet Oaks Trial Fillies' S. at Lingfield on May 8.

“We're all systems go for Epsom on Friday,” Palmer said of his filly, one of 15 left in at this stage. “Oisin [Murphy] sat on her this morning and did a little bit of stalls work with her. She was too slowly away at Lingfield and ended up sitting last, it was all a bit of a mess on ground that was too soft for her.

“We've always seen her as a good-moving filly that should be better on the top of the ground. We just felt that on debut at Nottingham she got away with the ground, she wanted a bit quicker but she handles it, and the same also when she ran at Lingfield.

“She ended up on the worst bit of the track as well. She's got a great turn of foot and loads of speed and we feel that the ground blunts her speed. We're very hopeful that we will see her to much better effect on top of the ground.”

Palmer added, “She's going to have to show considerable improvement on what she's done to date to win the Oaks, but I believe she has improved a huge amount at home. As we see year in, year out, these fillies can improve 20lb from one run to the next. My two best fillies that I've had prior to this were Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), over this trip, and they improved massively from this time of year.

“It can happen, but we're obviously very conscious about the fact that it has to.”

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Varian Provides Update on Epsom Classic Quartet

Trainer Roger Varian has one colt and a trio of fillies pointing to the G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 Cazoo Oaks on June 5 and 4, respectively. However, Varian, who has only had a single Derby starter previously when second with Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in 2014, is very aware of the unique challenge the Epsom Downs offers to young 3-year-olds.

“I think it's a fascinating Derby,” said Varian, who recently saddled his 1,000th winner. “It looks an open Derby and a very good Derby. There are a lot of different types of horses and for a racing fan it looks fascinating. We are delighted to be involved in it and are concentrating just on our guy.

“The Derby and Oaks are unique. The Epsom test is unique in the whole racing industry globally. We need to get through the next eight or nine days with our contenders without mishap and are very much looking forward to it.”

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has been pleasing Varian in his development ahead of the Blue Riband. Fifth at first asking at Kempton in November, the bay has not tasted defeat since. He found the Nottingham turf to his liking in a 10-furlong maiden race on Apr. 17, and also captured the Listed Novibet Derby Trial S. as a 14-1 outsider at Lingfield in soft going on May 8.

“I really liked how he had trained between Nottingham and Lingfield and thought he'd run a nice race, so I was obviously delighted with the way it panned out and the ability he showed,” said Varian.

“Although there was a tail wind that day in the straight, it was hard work for the horses in front so I thought David [Egan] gave him clever ride by giving him some cover and shelter from the wind early on. What I was really impressed with was not the winning margin or that he was in front two out and had to hold on–it was the ease by which he got into contention. I love when I watch races the visual impression you get and he looked the best horse in the race.

“I think he has the right attitude for the Derby or for any big race. He seems to conserve energy and is not a flashy worker at home, he just does what you ask him to. His recovery from Lingfield was very quick. You don't want to waste energy in the paddock, on the way to the start, behind the gates or in the first two furlongs. He has got the right mind for the job, we've still got to learn if he's got the engine to bring home The Derby.

“He's not a big horse, you'd call him medium at best, but is very well-balanced and has got gate speed. I'm quite confident he is going to get the trip.

Third Realm will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni in the Derby. The pair worked on Wednesday.

Varian added, “He ticks a lot of the boxes that you want going into the race and he gave Andrea a nice feel yesterday in his last serious piece of work going into the race. We are very much looking forward to the day. He has a great mind, a relaxed character and bit of a cool dude, so whatever Epsom throws at him on the day I would be hopeful he can pass that test.

“We are obviously delighted with how he has progressed. We will have to see how many runners there are at Epsom and where we are drawn and what the ground is, but I think he is the kind of horse Andrea can put anywhere and that is comforting coming into a race like The Derby.”

Varian Trio in Good Order For Oaks

Ali Saeed's Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), third last out in the May 12 G3 Tattersalls Musidora S., is one of three G1 Cazoo Oaks prospects for Varian. Second over the all-weather at Newcastle on Oct. 30, she graduated in her second start there stepping up to 10 furlongs on Nov. 19. The Musidora was her 3-year-old bow.

He said, “She is a big, strong, energetic filly and had a lot of fizz on the day at York [in the Musidora]. She got a little upset at the starting gates. She over-raced a little bit off a very steady gallop. She made a nice move in the straight and then probably got tired in the final 100 yards. There were a lot of positives to take from the race, the biggest being able to give her a day out.

“Of course, the Oaks presents a different sort of challenge and a different sort of test, but I think she is extremely talented and I hope that on the day she does not make the juvenile mistakes she made at York.”

Winless in one start at two, Save A Forest (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) progressed to a maiden win two starts later at Wolverhampton over 9 1/2 furlongs on Mar. 27. She doubled down with a handicap win at Windsor on Apr. 19 and was an encouraging second in the Listed Novibet Oaks Trial Fillies' S. at Lingfield on May 8.

“She has taken a giant step forward after each start of her career and I would anticipate another good step forward from Lingfield,” Varian continued. “Even if you look at her Windsor handicap win, I think the second has since won by six or seven lengths so the form looks quite solid.

“She is an interesting filly–she is very laidback at home and doesn't give us any clues or anything away in her homework. But I love any animals, fillies or colts, who take a step forward with each run. The exciting thing about her is that you don't know when she will reach her ceiling. However she runs in the Oaks, I can almost guarantee it will be a good deal better than at Lingfield as that is the pattern of her progress.”

Rounding out Varian's trio is Shadwell's four-for-three listed winner Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}).The homebred rattled off a trio of wins-over the Chelmsford all-weather in August, a Sept. 16 novice at Beverley and she capped her juvenile season with a victory in the Listed Montrose Fillies' S. in heavy going at Newmarket on Halloween. In her season opener at Chester, she was only a length off the winner in second in the Listed Cheshire Oaks on May 5.

Despite Zeyaadah's loss, Varian was unperturbed and said, “I was delighted with her at Chester–the visual impression was very good. I know that Jim [Crowley] got a mighty feel from her as he was buzzing when he got off and we think it was a very good run in defeat.

“I hope she will stay, although she is not guaranteed to on pedigree, being by Tamayuz but middle-distance lines in her family should give her a chance, Her running style also gives her a chance.

“She has a relaxed style of running, is a good-moving filly, well-balanced and can quicken so I would hopeful over a trip. I thought if I had had another 10 days she would have been spot on for Chester but I ran her because of the timeframe and led me to think it was a very good run at Chester. I think there is good deal of improvement there.”

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Hollie Doyle and Sherbet Lemon Team Up For Oaks

Hollie Doyle and Listed Novibet Oaks Trial Fillies' S. heroine Sherbet Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), who races for Apple Tree Stud, will team up for the June 4 G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom Downs.

“She's very well, and we're really looking forward to next Friday,” said former NH jockey Robert 'Choc' Thornton, who manages the Apple Tree racing and stud operation for Paul Dunkley. “She's done some work–she did a gallop on Friday and she's absolutely fine. It's just a case of keeping her ticking over for the big day.”

Doyle was aboard for the filly's maiden win in February, but was not in the irons for her next two runs, as she had commitments to owner Imad Al Sagar. Sherbet Lemon was fourth with Tom Marquand in the saddle at Wetherby in a novice on Apr. 25 and returned on May 8 to with the Listed Novibet Oaks Trial Fillies' S. at a big price under Paul Mulrennan.

“She stays and she seems quite versatile,” he said. “She won on the all-weather at Newcastle, and it was quick ground at Wetherby when she was fourth. She got no run at all, and I was actually very pleased with the way she ran that day–because she stayed on really well, and we know there were traffic problems.

“Then at the Oaks trial, the listed race at Lingfield, she was fantastic. She travelled on soft ground, and Lingfield is undulating and possibly as close as you can get to Epsom away from Epsom.”

“We'd hope we have a good each-way chance–if she could finish fourth or fifth then she'd have run very well,” he said. “My only slight concern is the possibility that we haven't got the tactical speed early–in Group 1s they go a good gallop.

“We wouldn't want her in top gear all the way, so we may have to sit and suffer at some stage early on just to find her rhythm and find her gear, and then she should be staying on at the end.”

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Derby Still Plan For Gear Up

Group 1 winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is still pointing to the G1 Cazoo Derby over 1 1/2 miles on June 5, according to connections. The colt, who won the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs last term, ran fifth in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York in mid-May. The bay also scooped the G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at two.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant trainer to father Mark, said, “Gear Up is still Epsom bound. Although he is a 33-1 shot, I think, he deserves his place in the line-up as a Group 1-winning 2-year-old and it would be no surprise to see him finish in the money.

“I don't think he needs that kind of severe testing ground on which he won his Group 1 on last season, it is more the fact it inconveniences other horses. The extra test of stamina here will suit him as we expect him to be a strong stayer at a mile and a half.”

Regarding the colt's performance in the Dante, Johnston added, “I thought it was one of those runs in the Dante at York that was not a bad run but it was not a particularly good run–it was just okay.

“I thought he was in a reasonably good pitch and I would have not swapped him three furlongs out. I thought of those chasing the leaders he looked the most likely at that point.

“The eventual first and second had another gear than him from two out and he plugged on one pace at the finish. He is sure to be better over an extra two furlongs.”

Noon Star Hoping to Shine Bright in Oaks
Another Classic aspirant who is sure to enjoy 1 ½ miles is Juddmonte's Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}), who is on target for the G1 Cazoo Oaks on June 4. From four starts to date, the daughter of MG1SW and Oaks bridesmaid Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has a win over 8 ½ furlongs at Nottingham last October after running third on debut at Salisbury the month prior. At three, she captured a novice over 10 furlongs at Wetherby in April and ran second in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Juddmonte, said of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly, “The family are happy for the filly to go for the Oaks, so in principle she will go but the final decision will be made over the weekend. It was a bit of a muddling race at York, but that having being said it was the same for everyone. We would have liked to have seen more pace but it didn't materialise.

“There is plenty of stamina in her pedigree and from that point of view a mile and a half in either the Oaks, and/or G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot should play to her strengths as it were. It was a smart enough race at York and she has come out of it in good shape.”

On the same day as the Oaks, William Muir's Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})) will step out in the G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup S. The 4-year-old colt was second in the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket on May 1. As a 3-year-old, Pyledriver saluted the judge in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot and in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. on either side of an unplaced run in the G1 Investec Derby.

“Everything's gone to plan–his work's been great,” said Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick. “He's on target to go where we've said–right from day one, we've said that was his target, so he'll go to Epsom a week on Friday.”

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