Becket wary of Oaks stamina test for Revoir

Leader Live

3 days ago

It is 17 years since Beckett broke his Classic duck in the Epsom feature with Look Here, who like his latest challenger carried the colours of owner-breeder Julian Richmond-Watson.
The trainer doubled his Oaks tally with Talent in 2013 and is out to make it a hat-trick with a filly who impressed on her juvenile debut at Nottingham in the autumn, before being touched off by the reopposing Qilin Queen on her reappearance in a Listed contest at Newbury last month.
Beckett said: 'I think she should come forward for the run at Newbury. I felt it was a good starting point, but she was still pretty green through the race. I liked the way she went through the line.
'You would think the step up in trip will probably be in her favour. There are stamina influences on her page, but I have slight reservations in the fact that Regardez (her dam) didn't stay a mile and a half, she got a mile and a quarter well.
'This filly is a slightly different character and is more laid-back than her mother was, but we are taking it on trust.
'Look Here winning the Oaks when we were at Whitsbury is a big part of what is going on here now. It's been 17 years and it's been a big joy to train the family – it's been a privilege.
'Julian and Sarah (Richmond-Watson) are exceptional breeders, they've never had more than six broodmares and to come up with not just Look Here but Remarquee, Scope and Kinross in the space of 15 years from six mares is extraordinary. Hopefully this filly is the next cab off the rank.'
One Beckett-trained filly who has already proven her worth at the highest level is You Got To Me, who placed fourth in last year's Oaks before striking gold in the Irish equivalent and makes her first start as a four-year-old in the Betfred-sponsored Coronation Cup on the Oaks card.
The daughter of Nathaniel, who will carry the Amo Racing silks for the first time, has been off the track since finishing last of seven in the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
'She's not much different different now, she's filled out (over the winter). She was always a big girl and in that sense not much has changed,' said Beckett, speaking on a Zoom call hosted by the Jockey Club on Thursday.
'This looked a good starting place for her. It looks a deep renewal and she'll have to go a bit, but she's been away for gallops a couple of times this spring and they've gone well, so I couldn't be happier.
'She's been off since the St Leger so that is nine months. Inevitably she'll need the match practice, but this leads us into the year.
'I had intended to start her in the Lancashire Oak, so this is a month earlier than we imagined.'
On plans beyond her Epsom comeback, Beckett said: 'I'd like to get her in against her own sex at some point. The Yorkshire Oaks is the obvious one but France Galop, in their wisdom, moved the Prix Vermeille so there is only 17 days between the only two fillies' only Group Ones over a mile and a half in Europe, which makes life somewhat complicated. Those two races are high on her agenda.'