CALUM McCLURKIN: Flower has the staying power but could Oaks favourite be vulnerable to unexposed improvers?

Daily Mail​

25-05-2025

The Classic generation of the fillies looks a lot weaker than the colts.
That might be summed up by the fact only 12 are currently in the Oaks at Epsom in two weeks' time.
Desert Flower won the 1,000 Guineas and remains unbeaten. Rated 117, she sets a clear standard for the others to aim at.
Trained by Charlie Appleby in the Godolphin blue, odds of 9-4 look very fair indeed. She was a short price at Newmarket when it became obvious main rival on form Lake Victoria needed the run badly.
Ollie Sangster's Flight was runner-up and gave the favourite a fright. She challenged from the wrong part of the track and maybe was a shade unlucky not to be closer than the length defeat.
The rest pretty much finished in a heap in behind but were only two-and-a-half lengths behind Desert Flower.
This was nowhere near impressive as last year's Fillies' Mile demolition when she was head and shoulders clear as a juvenile.
Desert Flower did it well enough from the front but there is a hint that others are catching up on her as they improve with age and experience.
The main positive for Desert Flower at Newmarket was she way she shaped for an Oaks. Going up in trip looks like no issue whatsoever, perhaps 10 furlongs would be more suitable than 12 but it looks within her compass.
There's stamina in her pedigree and you need tactical speed around Epsom anyway, so there isn't a great deal to worry about on that front. It's more of an unknown than a cast-iron negative.
Jockey William Buick said after the Guineas win: 'She's very uncomplicated and all class. I think she could be an Oaks filly. I think that's what everyone was thinking beforehand.'
There's every chance the boys in blue believe the Oaks is a more suitable assignment than the Guineas and that might help her to another Classic success.
However, could she be vulnerable to a significant improver? Given the fourth and fifth of the Guineas got within two-and-a-half lengths at HQ despite only having one run beforehand in their lives then there must be a distinct possibility of another unexposed type asking a more serious question of Desert Flower.
Aidan O'Brien is invariably the main challenger. Like the Derby trials, he plundered most of the Oaks trials, too.
Minnie Hauk is second favourite and has come for plenty of support. Winner of the Cheshire Oaks, she looks destined to stay. However, the bare form does need improving on given her rating of 100.
Giselle was very fresh on reappearance in taking out a three-runner Lingfield Oaks but there's plenty of potential in there if learning to settle. Epsom looks sure to suit and is another that brings plenty of potential to the party.
Neither of the O'Brien pair can be ruled out, with Musidora Stakes winner Whirl looking set for the French Oaks instead.
The Ballydoyle team will be eager to make this a decent test at the trip to suit Giselle and Minnie Hauk and ask the stamina question of the favourite, so don't be surprised if O'Brien leaves outsiders January and/or Island Hopping in as a pacemaker.
A trip to France could be in the offing for the exciting Owen Burrows-trained Falakeyah. She won on Guineas day in Pretty Polly Stakes and that form has been boosted since. She'd be of interest if she stayed in England instead.
Elwateen was one of many who were not beaten far by Desert Flower in the Guineas despite a lack of top-level experience and she'd enter the equation if supplemented by owners Shadwell.
Revoir ran well in a Newbury trial for Ralph Beckett and can't be entirely dismissed.
Desert Flower probably has the staying power and might have too much in hand to win another Classic in a similar manner to her Guineas success. The price is fair, too. But when you begin to scratch the surface, it might not be as simple as that.
There are others in there with plenty of potential that could end her unbeaten record.
OTHER DAYS FOR SHES PERFECT AS FRENCH STEWARDS REJECT APPEAL
IT was worth the appeal for connections of Shes Perfect. The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly was first past the post in the French 1,000 Guineas but lost the race in the stewards room when causing interference a furlong and a half from the line.
The race was awarded to favourite Zarigana and the head-on looked fairly damning, with Shes Perfect, under jocky Kieran Shoemark, drifting off a clear line when in front to her left.
The rules are clear and the places were rightfully turned around, regardless of whether they had a case on the questionable riding style of Mickael Barzalona striking his horse with his hands when he dropped his whip.
There's been some nonsense on social media pondering the motive of the decision. A case of the big established French yard gets the decision over a small English one? Sorry, but no. It's plainly ridiculous to accusation of bias. The kind of stuff a deluded football fan comes out with when ranting about referees.
The French stewards applied the rules correctly in a big race. It should happen more often in Britain and for the Basher Watts syndicate, Fellowes and Shoemark there will be other days.
There's always another opportunity in racing and it may happen in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot where the rematch could easily happen. They have a brilliant filly on their hands for the future.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK… Honourable mention to jockey William Buick who won four of the five televised races on ITV at Haydock but yesterday was all about the brilliance of FIELD OF GOLD in the 2,000 Guineas.
He picked up stylishly off the speed under new jockey Colin Keane and the galloping nature of the Curragh really suited John and Thady Gosden's colt. It was redemption for his unlucky defeat when second in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. He was simply in a different league to the rest of the field and the world is his oyster for the rest of the season.
SELECTIONS OF THE DAY…
A PAIR of Group One Curragh crackers can go the way of the formidable duo of Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. LOS ANGELES (5-2, bet365) is two for two at the Curragh and can defeat old rival White Birch and a strong British challenge to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup (3.05).
LAKE VICTORIA (Evens, Paddy Power) was sixth in the 1,000 Guineas but she needed the run badly and O'Brien was always racing against the clock to make that Newmarket assignment. She ought to be a lot sharper today and can land the Irish equivalent (3.40).