While I am reminiscing

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cH1hn8aBDJY

Is one of my very favourite old racing films.

The astonishment of the commentator to see a group race sprint race won in this fashion is almost comical. He was quite a 2yo and a pretty useful 3yo too!

After the race Phil Bull wnet onto the track. On soft ground he had never left a hoof print, just floated over the ground.

Take a look!

It will be interesting to see how the Helena/Hughie gets on at Newbs this Saturday, should she run.

She finished 3rd on debut in a Goodwood Maiden, surrounded by 6 colts.  The winner is apparently the best Channon has had since Youmzain, which runs in the Dante tomorrow, while the 4th beat Victory Bond next time and bustled up the Derby fav at Sandown in April.

Anyone know if/where Even Song is running next?

Oh dear, So Mi Dar is taking a wild walk.

What a great shame? But it's two weeks to The Oaks though.

Will johnny G now reroute impressive Newmarket winner Swiss Range?

Supplementary?

Are the trial winners "somehow" & "pretty perfect" intended runners or will it depend on minding?

I would like to see Even Song again before Epsom but it appears AOB may run her in the Irish Guineas? If he does that i'd be amazed if she finished in the first 5 given how stamina laden her pedigree is!

Minding heads 24 on Investec Oaks trail at Epsom Downs

Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - Hot favourite Minding headlines 24 acceptors for the fillies' Classic, the £450,000 Group One Investec Oaks (4.30pm), at Epsom Downs on the first day of the Investec Derby Festival, Investec Ladies' Day, Friday, June 3.

The daughter of Galileo is the 4/7 to favourite with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, following an easy three and a half-length victory in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1. Kazzia in 2002 is the latest of 47 fillies to win both Classics.

Minding's trainer Aidan O'Brien accounts for 10 confirmations in total, with other notables including the Group One scorer Ballydoyle, who was runner-up to her stablemate at Newmarket, and Chester scorer Somehow.

Jim Bolger is responsible for the two other Irish-trained acceptors in Turret Rocks and Siamsaiocht. Turret Rocks captured the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September and was not disgraced behind Minding on her reappearance at Newmarket, finishing sixth.

Four Investec Oaks contenders take each other on in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood tomorrow, Thursday, May 19. Snow Fairy captured the 10-furlong contest in 2010 before going on to win over two furlongs further at Epsom Downs.

Charlie Hills saddles the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned filly Zaakhir. The daughter of Raven's Pass is defending an unbeaten record, having captured a mile maiden at Kempton Park in November.

Hills said: "We were expecting a good run from Zaakhir when she won at Kempton and she has been in good form this spring.

"She will have to win on Thursday or otherwise she won't be going for the Investec Oaks."

The line-up also features is another unbeaten filly in Cajoled (George Scott), who captured a handicap at Nottingham last time out, The Black Princess (John Gosden) and September Stars (Ralph Beckett).

Newmarket-based George Scott revealed today: "When we entered Cajoled for the Investec Oaks she was a maiden winner and since then she won nicely at Nottingham so it would have been unfair to take her out.

"She goes for the Height Of Fashion Stakes tomorrow and from there a decision will be made. In my heart of hearts, I think she might be more of Sandringham Stakes (run over a mile at Royal Ascot) filly at this stage but tomorrow will tell us more.

"It is an acid test and I am pretty realistic about how much she has got to improve to step into that grade, but I have been delighted with her since Nottingham. I had left plenty to work on as I wanted the race to bring her on.

"I think a mile and a quarter will suit her well. She is a High Chaparral filly out of Kingmambo mare and there is no reason why she should not get it but beyond that I would not be sure. If she can show the turn of foot she showed at Nottingham, albeit at a lesser grade, over a mile and quarter then there is every chance she will be quite effective at that level."

Ralph Beckett, with two Investec Oaks winners already to his name, has also confirmed Diamonds Pour Moi, who was runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks, and Mountain Bell, third in the Listed Lingfield Park Oaks Trial.

Other eye-catching acceptors include Group Three Musidora Stakes runner-up Fireglow (Mark Johnston), plus Beautiful Morning (Luca Cumani) and Architecture (Hugo Palmer), who were second in trials at Newbury and Lingfield Park respectively.

Six-day confirmations for the Investec Oaks take place on Saturday, May 28, when there is also a £30,000 supplementary entry stage. The Investec Oaks is the second race in the Fillies & Mares division of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Investec Oaks - Coral bet: 4/7 Minding, 7/1 Ballydoyle, 10/1 Turret Rocks, 12/1 Even Song, 14/1 Somehow, 16/1 Coolmore, Pretty Perfect, Seventh Heaven, 20/1 Architecture, 33/1 Beautiful Morning, Danilovna, Diamonds Pour Moi, How High The Moon, September Stars, Zaakhir, 40/1 Bar

15 go forward in Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup
(Sponsored By Investec)

The £400,000 Group One Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup (Sponsored By Investec) has 15 horses going forward, headed by Postponed (Roger Varian).

Postponed is the 4/5 favourite with Coral for the mile and a half contest, having won last season's Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot when trained by Luca Cumani. The five-year-old, now with Roger Varian, has been in top form this year, taking the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on March 26 in great style from two Japanese horses.

The strongest challenge to Postponed could come from the four-year-old fillies Found (Aidan O'Brien) and Simple Verse (Ralph Beckett).

Found, who got the better of Golden Horn in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Turf in America, confirmed her well-being with a Group Three success at the Curragh earlier this month.

Simple Verse, winner of the final Classic, the St Leger, and QIPCO British Champions Fillies' & Mares' Stakes in 2015, was an encouraging second on her reappearance in the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket on April 30.

In addition to Found, Ireland's champion Flat trainer Aidan O'Brien could be represented by Highland Reel, a Group One winner in Hong Kong and the USA last season and fourth in the 2016 Dubai Sheema Classic, and recent Group Three scorer Bondi Beach, who was the head runner-up in the St Leger.

There are two French entries going forward, headed by the Aga Khan's Vazirabad (Alain de Royer Dupre), successful on his last six starts, including the 2015 Prix Royal-Oak. The other remaining French contender is Siljan's Saga (Jean-Pierre Gauvin), runner-up to Vazirabad in the Group One Prix Royal-Oak.

Other notable contenders still engaged include Arabian Queen (David Elsworth), shock winner of last season's Group One Juddmonte International at York, and German Group One winner Second Step (Luca Cumani).

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup (Sponsored By Investec) takes place at 3.10pm on Saturday, June 4, Investec Derby Day and is part of the Middle Distance division of the QIPCO British Champions Series. There is a £25,000 supplementary entry stage on Monday, May 30, when there the five-day confirmation stage also takes place.

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup (Sponsored By Investec), Coral bet: 4/5 Postponed, 11/4 Found, 5/1 Simple Verse, 6/1 Highland Reel, 7/1 Vazirabad, 10/1 Bondi Beach, 14/1 Arabian Queen, 20/1 The Corsican, 25/1 Bar 

40 for 'Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash'

A maximum field looks guaranteed for the £100,000 Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash', a handicap run over five furlongs at Epsom Downs on Investec Derby Day, Saturday, June 4, with 40 horses still remaining.

Duke Of Firenze (David Griffiths) landed a competitive handicap at York's Dante meeting and heads the market with Coral, while the contest could also see the first five horses from last year line up once again - Desert Law, Monsieur Joe (both Paul Midgely), Boom The Groom (Tony Carroll), Steps (Roger Varian) and Seeking Magic (Clive Cox).

The maximum permitted field for the Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash', which takes place over the fasted five furlongs in the world, is 20.

Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash', Coral bet: 8/1 Duke Of Firenze, 10/1 Desert Law, Double Up, Maljaa, Hay Chewed, 12/1 Caspian Prince, Kimberella, Monsieur Joe, 14/1 Boom The Groom, Harry Hurricane, Red Baron, Seeking Magic, Steps, 16/1 Arctic Feeling, Shamshon, 20/1 Bar

The Investec Oaks
Group 1, £450,000 total prize fund. Epsom Downs, 4.30pm, Friday, June 3, 2016, 1m 4f 10y. For three-year-old fillies only. Weights: 9st. Entries closed April 12, entries revealed April 13 (61 entries), scratchings deadline May 17 (24 remain), six-day confirmations & £30,000 supplementary stage May 28, final declarations 10am June 1.

Horse    Owner    Trainer
ARCHITECTURE (IRE)    Chris Humber    Hugo Palmer 
AUSTRALIAN QUEEN    Jeff Smith    David Elsworth 
BALLYDOYLE (IRE)    Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
BEAUTIFUL MORNING    Jon S Kelly    Luca Cumani 
BEST IN THE WORLD (IRE)    Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
CAJOLED (FR)    Niarchos Family    George Scott 
CALIFORNIADREAMING (IRE)    Sue Magnier/Annemarie O'Brien    Aidan O'Brien IRE
COOLMORE (IRE)    Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith    Aidan O'Brien IRE
DANILOVNA (IRE)    Bjorn Nielsen    David Lanigan 
DIAMONDS POUR MOI    Pearl Bloodstock Ltd    Ralph Beckett 
EVEN SONG (IRE)    Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
FIREGLOW    Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum    Mark Johnston 
HARLEQUEEN    Mrs S Brandt    Mick Channon 
HOW HIGH THE MOON (IRE)    Roisin Henry/Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
MINDING (IRE)    Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor    Aidan O'Brien IRE
MOUNTAIN BELL    Qatar Racing Limited    Ralph Beckett 
PRETTY PERFECT (IRE)    Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
SEPTEMBER STARS (IRE)    Andrew Rosen & Edward W Easton    Ralph Beckett 
SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE)    Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor    Aidan O'Brien IRE
SIAMSAIOCHT (IRE)    Jackie Bolger    Jim Bolger IRE
SOMEHOW (IRE)    Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
THE BLACK PRINCESS (FR)    Robin Geffen    John Gosden 
TURRET ROCKS (IRE)    Jackie Bolger    Jim Bolger IRE
ZAAKHIR (IRE)    Hamdan Al Maktoum    Charlie Hills 

24 fillies remain following May 17 scratchings deadline
12 Irish-trained

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup
(Sponsored by Investec)
Group 1, £400,000 total prize fund. Epsom Downs, 3.10pm, Saturday, June 4, 2016. 1m 4f 10yds. For four-year-olds and upwards. Weights: colts and geldings 9st, fillies & mares 8st 11lb. Entries closed April 12, entries revealed April 14 (28 entries), scratchings deadline May 17 (15 remain), five-day confirmations & £25,000 supplementary entry stage May 30, final declarations 10am, June 2.

Horse    Age    Wgt    Owner    Trainer
AJMAN BRIDGE    6    9-00    Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum    Roger Varian 
BONDI BEACH (IRE)    4    9-00    L Williams, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith    Aidan O'Brien IRE
HIGHLAND REEL (IRE)    4    9-00    Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor    Aidan O'Brien IRE
MASTER CARPENTER (IRE)    5    9-00    The Links Partnership    Rod Millman 
POSTPONED (IRE)    5    9-00    Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum    Roger Varian 
ROSEBURG (IRE)    5    9-00    Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum    Roger Varian 
SECOND STEP (IRE)    5    9-00    Merry Fox Stud Limited    Luca Cumani 
SHEIKHZAYEDROAD    7    9-00    Mohammed Jaber    David Simcock 
STAR STORM (IRE)    4    9-00    Mohamed Obaida    James Fanshawe 
THE CORSICAN (IRE)    5    9-00    Fitri Hay    David Simcock 
VAZIRABAD (FR)    4    9-00    H H Aga Khan    Alain de Royer Dupre FR
ARABIAN QUEEN (IRE)    4    8-11    Jeff Smith    David Elsworth 
FOUND (IRE)    4    8-11    Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier    Aidan O'Brien IRE
SILJAN'S SAGA (FR)    6    8-11    E Palluat de Besset/E Tassin    Jean-Pierre Gauvin FR
SIMPLE VERSE (IRE)    4    8-11    QRL/Sheikh Suhaim Al Thani/M Al Kubaisi    Ralph Beckett 

15 horses remain following May 17 scratchings' deadline
3 Irish-trained
2 French-trained

The Investec Corporate Banking 'Dash'
Heritage Handicap, £100,000 total prize fund. Five furlongs, Epsom Downs, 3.45pm, Saturday, June 4. For three-year-olds and upwards. Lowest weight 8st, highest weight not less than 9st 10lb. Penalties: after May 7, a winner 4lb, a winner of 2 or more races 7lb. Entries closed May 3, entries revealed May 4 (46 entries), weights revealed May 11, scratchings deadline May 17 (40 remain), five-day confirmations May 30, final declarations June 2. Maximum 20 runners.

Horse    Age    Wgt    Owner    Trainer
STEPS (IRE)    8    9-12    Michael Hill    Roger Varian 
MONSIEUR JOE (IRE)    9    9-08    Taylor's Bloodstock Ltd    Paul Midgley 
DOUBLE UP    5    9-07    Alan Spence & Michael Spence    Roger Varian 
MALJAA    4    9-07    Hamdan Al Maktoum    Roger Varian 
CASPIAN PRINCE (IRE)    7    9-04    Stephen Louch    Dean Ivory 
DESERT LAW (IRE)    8    9-03    Taylor's Bloodstock Ltd    Paul Midgley 
HUMIDOR (IRE)    9    9-03    Delancey    George Baker 
BOOM THE GROOM (IRE)    5    9-01    Gary Attwood    Tony Carroll 
SHAMSHON (IRE)    5    9-00    Michael Buckley    Jamie Osborne 
RED BARON (IRE)    7    9-00    The Longton Pals    Eric Alston 
HAY CHEWED (IRE)    5    8-13    John C Davies    Conrad Allen 
GREEN DOOR (IRE)    5    8-12    Fitri Hay    Robert Cowell 
SON OF AFRICA    4    8-11    One Too Many Partners    Henry Candy 
ARCTIC FEELING (IRE)    8    8-11    Percy / Green Racing 2    Richard Fahey 
LIGHTSCAMERACTION (IRE)    4    8-10    LCA Lights Camera Action Ltd    Gay Kelleway 
ROUDEE    4    8-10    Edwards Hughes Jenkins Roberts & Partner    Tom Dascombe 
HARRY HURRICANE    4    8-09    PJL Racing    George Baker 
SEEKING MAGIC    8    8-09    The Seekers    Clive Cox 
ZANETTO    6    8-09    Malcolm Walker    John Quinn 
SECRETINTHEPARK    6    8-07    Mia Racing    Robert Cowell 
KIMBERELLA    6    8-06    C Titcomb    David Nicholls 
BLAINE    6    8-06    Lady O'Reilly    David Nicholls 
LATHOM    3    8-05    David W Armstrong    Richard Fahey 
DUKE OF FIRENZE    7    8-05    Adlam, Damary-Thompson, Wilson, Griffiths    David Griffiths 
MUKAYNIS (IRE)    5    8-04    Quinn & Co    Kevin Ryan 
BLITHE SPIRIT    5    8-04    Liam & Tony Ferguson    Eric Alston 
RIFLESCOPE (IRE)    3    8-04    Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum    Mark Johnston 
BARNET FAIR    8    8-03    Donald Wheatley    David Nicholls 
NORMAL EQUILIBRIUM    6    8-03    The Morley Family    Robert Cowell 
SANDFRANKSKIPSGO    7    8-02    Peter Crate    Peter Crate 
SEVE    4    8 2    The Blue Nuns    Tom Dascombe 
MARMALADY (IRE)    6    8 0    Heart of the South Racing    Robert Cowell 
OLIVIA FALLOW (IRE)    4    8 0    A Bell    Paul Midgley 
FIELD GAME    4    7 13    Lord Carnarvon    Hughie Morrison 
TAAJUB (IRE)    9    7 12    Peter Crate    Peter Crate 
PEARL ACCLAIM (IRE)    6    7 9    M A Scaife    David Nicholls 
PADDY POWER (IRE)    3    7 6    M Scaife & Richard Fahey    Richard Fahey 
A MOMENTOFMADNESS    3    7 4    Tony Wechsler & Ann Plummer    Charles Hills 
CROSSE FIRE    4    7 3    Paul Dixon & Darren Lucas    Scott Dixon 
FINE 'N DANDY (IRE)    5    6 12    Miss A Finn    John Jenkins 

40 horses remain following May 17 scratchings' deadline

About Epsom Downs Racecourse & the Investec Derby Festival

Epsom Downs Racecourse is situated on the North Downs in Surrey, just 15 miles from central London.

Epsom is a historic training centre and home to a number of racing stables.

The racecourse is the venue for the Greatest Flat Race in the world, the Group One Investec Derby, which is now in its 237th year and takes place on the first Saturday in June every year.

The Investec Derby Festival also features the Investec Oaks and the Investec Coronation Cup, both also run over the Derby course of one mile and four furlongs for fillies and older horses respectively.

The Investec Derby and Investec Oaks, two of the five British Classics, are for three-year-olds, with the former open to colts and fillies and the latter to fillies.

Investec started sponsoring the Investec Derby Festival in 2009 and will continue to sponsor the event until 2021.

The 2016 Investec Derby Festival is staged on Friday and Saturday, June 3 & 4, while the 2017 dates are June 2 & 3. More information is available at: www.epsomderby.co.uk

Epsom Downs Racecourse is part of The Jockey Club, which has been at the heart of British racing for more than 260 years.

Today the largest commercial group in the sport, The Jockey Club runs the leading racecourse group in the UK by turnover (2015: £174.2m), attendances (2015: 1.95m), total prize money (2015: £43.9m), contribution to prize money (2015: £19.9m) and quality racing (Group and Graded races); more than 3,000 acres of world-class training grounds in Newmarket, Lambourn and Epsom Downs; The National Stud breeding enterprise and education provider; and the charity for racing's people in need, Racing Welfare.

Governed by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes it puts back into British racing. More information is available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs Racecourse:
07774 230850 or andrew.cooper@thejockeyclub.co.uk

Johnno Spence or Ellie Welton at JSC Sport:
07860 583307 or johnno@jsccomms.co.uk
07779 109678 or ellie@jsccomms.co.uk

About QIPCO British Champions Series

The QIPCO British Champions Series is designed to throw the spotlight on Britain's best Flat races and will climax on October 15, 2016 with the richest fixture in British racing history, QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot with a guaranteed £4.2 million in prize money.

The Series features 35 Flat races staged at 10 of the UK's leading racecourses: Ascot, Doncaster, Epsom Downs, Goodwood, Haydock Park, Newbury, Newmarket's July Course, Newmarket's Rowley Mile, Sandown Park and York.

It encompasses the top races at British racing's key festivals, including the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket, the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom, Royal Ascot, the Newmarket July Festival, the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York and the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster.

The QIPCO British Champions Series comprises five easy-to-follow champion categories - Sprint, Mile, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Fillies & Mares.

minding to stick a mile ?

massive blow for ante post backers

minding to stick a mile ?

massive blow for ante post backers

No mentioned of sticking to 8f or 10f with Minding, where have you heard this?

Without Ballydoyle and Alice Springs in the line up it'd be a much easier contest than the English 1000G - just a slight detour but no doubt the Oaks is still the main agenda/target.

AOB would have had to give Minding a strong gallop before the Oaks in any event. This way they collect E170,000 for running in a race in which she's 2/5 and 11 lbs clear on ratings and all being well should win without having a hard race. With fillies the  profit comes from prize money and whatever they sell the foals for each year. Not the same game as developing stallions.

Can't see how its possible to draw conclusions about  distance from this decision. The Oaks is the next G1 option for fillies. The question after that is whether she takes on colts or sticks to her own sex until the autumn and the Arc, assuming all goes well. She can always drop back to 10f if that's her optimum but against inferior opposition at Epsom she should have no problems with 12f.

"Minding is sticking to a mile.."


Your wording suggests that she will stay at a mile. What's your source for this? If its you speculating then you should say so.

She is racing at a mile this weekend, and only the owners know her plans after that.

I actually personally thought Minding would stay 1m4f but after reading what AOB has said in news archives, I think Minding is certain now not to participate.  I mean laying at 10-11 is decent risk v reward stuff, if it is entered you could probably trade out for no / little loss.

I laid Mining for the Oaks at 1.75, but I know nothing about her participation, the same as everyone else.

Greedisgood
You seem to know more that the Racing Post.  This is what they say about Minding.
"O'Brien was considering heading straight to the Investec Oaks with Minding, and the Epsom Classic remains the target for the impressive 1,000 Guineas winner."