5pm Forever Together lifts the Oaks for O’Brien family
Chris Cook: Aidan O’Brien and his son Donnacha combined for Classic glory in Britain for the second time this year when Forever Together powered clear in the Oaks on Friday. The filly seemed to be the second-string from her stable behind Magic Wand, who beat her at Chester three weeks ago, but got comprehensive revenge for what now looks an unlucky defeat that day.
The 19-year-old Donnacha O’Brien, who won the 2,000 Guineas on Saxon Warrior last month, lauded his father’s training skills. “When you’re riding one of his, you have a chance, it doesn’t matter what it is,” the jockey said.
“He’s an absolute genius, he’s able to do things with these horses that I don’t understand. He tweaks little things with them and brings out massive improvement. I don’t know how he does it but I’m trying to learn as much as I can.”
Beaten in all three starts before this race, Forever Together becomes the first maiden to win the Epsom contest since Sun Princess 35 years ago. Returned at 7-1, she had four and a half lengths in hand over the favourite, Godolphin’s Wild Illusion. The runner-up’s rider, William Buick, suggested she had not been comfortable on the downhill stretch of the course.
On this rain-softened ground, the runners in both the Oaks and the Coronation Cup finished against the stands’ rail. However, the field for Saturday’s Derby is likely to stick to the far rail, after a false inside rail is taken down overnight.
Cracksman delivered for favourite-backers at odds of 2-7 in the Coronation Cup but was made to work for it by the 33-1 rag Salouen, who pinched a big lead off the home turn under Silvestre de Sousa. It was only in the final strides that Cracksman poked his nose in front, Frankie Dettori having been hard at work for the previous two furlongs.
“Cracksman was a bit sleepy today,” said Dettori, “but he does not enjoy galloping downhill and when I wanted to close the gap, I couldn’t. He felt lethargic, like he did in the Derby last year.
“Silvestre got five lengths on me and, God, he made it hard work for me, but once we flattened out, the turbo kicked in. Then he started to motor and I thought I might still run out of time, but we got there.”
Friday’s best bets
Andrew Cooper, the clerk of the course at Epsom, reported a “misty, dewy” start at the track earlier on Friday morning after a dry night, so the going report that is expected shortly could well be edging towards good-to-soft ground for the Oaks at 4.30 this afternoon.
Nine fillies are due to go to post for the fillies’ Classic, where the unbeaten Perfect Clarity (4.30) looks like the value bet at around 7-1, while Cracksman, last year’s Champion Stakes winner, will be one of the shortest-priced favourites of the season as he attempts to see off five opponents in the Coronation Cup at 3.10.
Elsewhere on the card, Donncha (2.35) is finally starting to slip down the weights and may repay his long-suffering supporters with an overdue victory, though his habit of finding all the trouble going is unlikely to make it an easy race for his backers to watch. Ajman King (3.45) and Kings Shield (5.15) should also go close, while True Belief (2.00) may have the edge in a competitive Woodcote Stakes at the top of the card.
Market Rasen 1.40 Settie Hill 2.15 Windspiel 2.50 Atalanta's Gold
3.25 Pixiepot 4.00 Notnow Seamus 4.45 As You Like 5.20 Pretty Reckless
Catterick Bridge 1.50 Li Kui 2.25 St Malo 3.00 Eeh Bah Gum
3.35 Elgin 4.10 Brockholes 4.55 Foxtrot Knight 5.30 Mitchum
6.05 Glyder
Epsom 2.00 True Belief 2.35 Donncha 3.10 Cracksman 3.45 Ajman King (nb) 4.30 Perfect Clarity (nap) 5.15 Kings Shield 5.50 Taurean Star
Bath 5.45 Toolatetodelegate 6.20 High Horse 6.50 Purple Jazz
7.25 Accomplice 7.55 Waseem Faris 8.30 Hit The Beat 9.00 King Crimson
Doncaster 6.00 God Willing 6.30 Cheer The Title 7.00 Chess Move 7.35 Spanish City 8.05 Come On Come On 8.40 Maid Up 9.10 Silver Character
Goodwood 6.10 Fintech 6.40 Main Edition 7.10 Impulsion 7.45 Magical Dreamer 8.15 Albizzia 8.50 Ganayem
