A total of 19 three year old fillies remain engaged in this year’s Cazoo Oaks following today’s scratchings deadline. The mile and a half fillies’ Classic takes place at Epsom Downs on day one of The Cazoo Derby Festival (Friday 4th June).
Dubai Fountain was the comfortable winner of the Listed Cheshire Oaks on her seasonal reappearance and will be bidding to following in the footsteps of the great Enable, who landed the Chester contest in 2017 prior to winning at Epsom Downs. The Teofilo ran six times in 2020, winning her first two starts and rounding off the campaign with a staying on fourth in the Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in October.
Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father Mark, reported: “I think Dubai Fountain goes to Epsom with a real live chance.
“I think it’s the age old thing because it is one of ours and she has run quite a few times as a two year old and is a bit more exposed it puts people off but there were only a few rated better than her at two.
“She was screaming out as a middle distance filly last year. It was nice to see her reappear like she did and you would have no concerns about the ground with her.
“She is a very big, lengthy filly. If you would have asked me, or Franny (Norton) at five out if she would have won I think the answer would have been no as she looked beat. I don’t think he (Franny) was happy any point in the race bar the line. I hope that was because of the muddling stop start gallop.
“The experience of going around Chester will not be lost on her and it will stand her in good stead going around Epsom. She had Snowfall well behind her in the Fillies’ Mile and she has just won her trial.
“I think Dubai Fountain has been underestimated as she never runs a bad race.”
Newmarket-based trainer Roger Varian has three contenders going forward, headed by Teona and Zeyaadah. Sea The Stars filly Teona was third in Wednesday’s Group Three Musidora Stakes at York while Zeyaadah, a daughter of Tamayuz, went down by a length to Dubai Fountain in the Cheshire Oaks.
Varian said: “Both fillies were fine after their trials. They’re both well balanced fillies so you would hope that they would both handle Epsom.
“No decision has been made yet but we’re perfectly satisfied with how they trialled and we’ll see how they train over the next couple of weeks.”
The six-day confirmation stage for The Cazoo Oaks is on May 29th, when there is also a £22,500 supplementary entry stage.
There is a scratchings deadline for The Cazoo Derby on Tuesday 18th May. Details of those going forward will be revealed on the same day.
THE CAZOO OAKS (Group 1) (British Champions Series)
EPSOM DOWNS, FRIDAY 4TH JUNE
Animal Owner Trainer
A'Shaari (GB) Godolphin Charlie Appleby
Divinely (IRE) Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
Dubai Fountain (IRE) Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston
La Joconde (IRE) Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Westerberg Aidan O'Brien IRE
Noon Star (USA) Juddmonte Sir Michael Stoute
Ocean Road (IRE) Qatar Racing Limited Hugo Palmer
Saffron Beach (IRE) Mrs Ben Sangster, James Wigan & Ollie Sangster Jane Chapple-Hyam
Santa Barbara (IRE) Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Westerberg Aidan O'Brien IRE
Save A Forest (IRE) The Gredley Family Roger Varian
Sea Empress (IRE) Sunderland Holding Inc. William Haggas
Shale (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Donnacha Aidan O'Brien IRE
Sherbet Lemon (USA) Apple Tree Stud Archie Watson
Snowfall (JPN) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
Snow Lantern (GB) Rockcliffe Stud Richard Hannon
Technique (GB) Mantonbury Stud Martyn Meade
Teona (IRE) Ali Saeed Roger Varian
Twisted Reality (GB) Qatar Racing Limited Ralph Beckett
Willow (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
Zeyaadah (IRE) Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Roger Varian
19 fillies remain
6 Irish-trained
