The Oaks

Possibly. Think I'd rather just take a bit of the 5's Havant as insurance. I may be wrong, but I don't really want Zain Al Boldan and Beatrice Aurore running for me. Blue Bunting has a really good chance, but no better than her odds.
 
13 in the Oaks.

3 taken out; Spin, Look at Me and Charlestown Lady.

Blue Bunting, Misty for Me, Havant and Wonder of Wonders stand their ground.

Barzalona gets the ride on Ballydoyle outsider Why. Murtagh booked by Haggas for Dancing Rain. I think all of the other bookings are as expected.
 
Has anyone got an opinion on Misty for Me? 13/2 looks very nice when you consider her form with Together. She looked outpaced at several points in the Marcel Boussac last year, suggesting a step up in trip was needed.
 
Gearoid said:
Why?
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It's a very interesting situation. Barzalona is clearly a top jock in the making riding for Fabre (Who is almost a retained trainer of the Sheikh) and seems to be given most of the Godolphin rides yet he's turning up in the Derby on a Coolmore horse? I find it really odd - I'm also confused about Fabre's position. I thought he was effectively retained by Sheikh Mohammed?

Barzalona's agent must be a master of diplomacy.
 
Hamm said:
Has anyone got an opinion on Misty for Me? 13/2 looks very nice when you consider her form with Together. She looked outpaced at several points in the Marcel Boussac last year, suggesting a step up in trip was needed.
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I really like this filly - very willing attitude and looks like the trip will be ideal. Has plenty of experience - not overly big and well balanced - did it well the last day at the Curragh and would be my idea of a bet possibly without the fav.
 
Hamm said:
Has anyone got an opinion on Misty for Me? 13/2 looks very nice when you consider her form with Together. She looked outpaced at several points in the Marcel Boussac last year, suggesting a step up in trip was needed.
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As I’ve said elsewhere Misty For Me is an interesting possibility, but is also the likeliest of the leading fancies to be found wanting at the trip (Storm Cat is her dam sire). A DI of 1.74 suggests she’ll be best at about 9 furlongs.
 
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I've had a good look at this race and still none the wiser. If there had been more rain I would be smashing into Havant but without it I think her chances are greatly diminished (I do still think she could win but Hallings on quick ground are usually a no go for me).

Outside of that I think Dancing Rain is an interesting outsider. She was still green on her last run and looks really talented but with her i'd be worried about her getting the trip. 10f looks like it may be her ideal.

That leaves the O'Brien pair and the favourite. How a dynaformer filly won the guineas is beyond me but really she should improve for the distance and so I expect her to go mighty close. I'm not keen on Misty for me and I think Wonder of Wonder's may be overhyped due to her breeding.

Blue Bunting and Havant against the rest for me but i'm not even sure i'll have a bet.
 
As with Pour Moi and Recital, I'll bow to others.

I still think Blue Bunting has the best chance, but would want around 5/2. Any doubts about her staying?

Not too sure I would like to see her held up as Al Zarooni has said. I think she'll be better when she used her stride.
 
I would be very confident about her staying. Dynaformer's are generally always strong stayers and her half brother Descaro is running in staying handicaps in the North and has won over 2m plus. Further back her dam didn't race but that side is a middle distance pedigree although there are plenty of milers in the family of her Grand dam.

Weirdly though, and despite the fact she won the guineas, my biggest concern is that she might not have the turn of foot or class to win this race. I thought she won the guineas more because of the circumstances rather than her being superior and i'm concerned she might struggle to lie up round tattenham corner and be left with too much ground to make up. Having said that they could revert to front running tactics with her but it's tough to win this from the front; even if your name is Lanfranco....

I still think she is a major player though; just not interested at the price.
 
(I do still think she could win but Hallings on quick ground are usually a no go for me)
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The Racing Post progeny stats suggest otherwise, and Halling himself certainly handled fast ground.
 
I'm going to have a little tickle tomorrow on BEATRICE AURORE of John Dunlop's, since John Gosden decided, after seeing her two winning runs at Goodwood, not to even bother to enter his for this race. Teddy has the ride again, which he wanted, and Dunlop's yard is reporting her as working professionally and extremely well, and are sure that she will win. I'm not sure she'll take down BLUE BUNTING, but I think she's the one most overlooked at present and I'm going with her. She was around 16s in places this afternoon.
 
Durcan is a negative in my view but I note he doubted the horse would stay . Of Gosden's horses behind BA at Goodwood at least Imperial Pippin was not entered for the Oaks.

Nice filly but I doubt she is good enough.
 
I've backed two: Blue Bunting at 7/2 and Wonder Of Wonders at 25/1. It is virtually guaranteed in these circumstances that neither will win. I intend to save on Misty For Me - she's obviously got the form to go very close and, despite the stamina doubts on pedigree, she has been strong at the finish in her races at a mile (including on softish ground in the Boussac at two) and that suggests she might well get the trip.
 
Blue Bunting was my choice for the '1000' and did all that was required. I don't know myself but it seems a general belief that she will do better over the longer trip. Given that then I would fancy her to win today but she , like several others, is unproven and therefore imo is not good value at current prices. I hope she wins and goes on to be a top filly but no bet in this race for me.
 
What's the story with Siren's Song? I haven't seen either of her races, but her form looks okay, and she is bred to relish a trip.

Of the fancied contenders, I like Wonder of Wonders, but not the price. I have a nagging doubt about Blue Bunting, maybe she was flattered by the win last month? I think Misty for Me is more likely to stay than some others seem to feel. Havant seems like she will like the trip, but the ground may not be easy enough for her.

I will probably back MfM each way, with Siren's Song a possible, and possibly a bet on Havant, depending on how the ground rides in the first couple of races.
 
Are we all missing a trick and Blue Bunting is a huge price at 5/2? She should have little difficulty with the distance, and is all class. Has the best jockey on board, and all ground conditions seem to suit. Good attitude, straightforward and responds to pressure - shouldn't she be shorter?
 
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