This filly looks a standout candidate to me, by Frankel out of Star Catcher who won the Ribblesdale, Irish Oaks, Vermeille and BC Filly & Mare, herself impeccably bred as a Sea The Stars half sister to Cannock Chase. You simply cant get better credentials on paper, and shes in the right stable - until Weld won the race last year, Gosden has been the only opposition to Obrien in it over the last decade She was relatively weak in the market with a claimer on, going off around 13/2 on betfair, she looked pretty clueless through the race, slow away and held up in last, green on the bend when being asked to go up a gear, head all over the shop. She was still second last turning in but made up ground rapidly in the straight and pulled clear with the runner up, looking green again when she hit the front but holding on a comfortable half length. The form on paper isnt worth much, but its not important, it was a perfect introduction, she should have learned plenty and will leave it well behind. Looking at the data, she has quite a stride on her at 26ft, a full foot longer than the next longest in the race, half a foot longer than any of the older horses on the card, and youd imagine she has plenty of growing to do still. Her peak cadence was 2.18 which tells us we wont see the best of her till she gets at least 12f. She has a real quality head on her as well, just an overall look of quality about her to my eye, and thats to go with the pedigree and the potentially freakish stride, she looks destined for the top level to me. The Oaks is the only classic that Oppenheimer has not yet won, and while Star Catcher skipped the Oaks, she was beaten in her trial and Gosden also had Anapurna for it that year, if he has an Oaks filly this season I think this is it, and she will be given every chance to get to the race. Taghrooda went to the Oaks with just the one prep run, but Star Of Light looks the type who will need 2 so we will hopefully see her in the next few weeks in a novice or conditions race before going for a trial. I havent been this keen on one for the race since I put up Taghrooda at 25s all those years ago, but well see, its a long way from a Wolves maiden to Epsom.
Do you think she will be suited to Epsom Joe? Might she more likely to be suited to the Irish Oaks with that stride?
Its more a question of balance at Epsom, Sea The Stars clocked 28.6ft in the Derby, Adayar over 27ft, City of Troy notably had a freakish stride, and he devoured the straight, so I dont think stride length is necessarily a negative there if they are nimble. please log in to view this image Soul Sister in the Oaks please log in to view this image
from Simon Rowlands article last year please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Star of Light is entered at Sandown on Friday in a race that Gosden has won 5 times, including 3 of the last 4 runnings and most notably with top class fillies Dar Re Mi and Emily Upjohn. Interesting that the stable jockey Shoemark is booked to ride the other Gosden filly Go Go Boots, and the apprentice Luke Catton will keep the ride on Star of Light. Go Go Boots was impressive on debut, overcoming greeness to beat a filly with experience and producing strong late sectionals in the process. She is by Night Of Thunder though, out of a mare who didnt quite stay 12f, so she wouldnt be for me in the Oaks regardless of what happens here. I was initially concerned by the jockey bookings but im told Shoemark has never sat on Star Of Light so maybe its just not his ride or maybe Go Go Boots is just more forward and ready for this particular race. For a novice race its pretty deep, its a win and youre in for the Oaks and bordering on trial class. Moore is booked to ride Music Piece for Balding, she didnt blow me away in her maidens last season, but she has a good middle distance pedigree and the trainer is on fire. Winters Song is a full sister to Wuheida for Appleby, she is another one who overcame inexperience to win on debut and has a look of quality about her. Theres a couple of nice debutants as well, in particular Pearla for Haggas and Marquand, a Sea The Stars half sister to Prix De LOpera winner Place Du Carrousel. I suspect Go Go Boots will be favourite given the jockey bookings, but the market will be interesting. A proper Oaks filly ought to be winning this, but a good enough run to get to the Musiodra would keep the hopes alive, Enable ran 3rd first time out after all.
The race has cut up a bit, Go Go Boots entered at Lingfield on Monday leaving Star of Light as Gosdens only runner, and Luke Catton keeps the ride despite Shoemark being at the meeting, so it shows that Shoemark never had the choice. The well bred debutants have also defected leaving a field of 6. Id make the odds something like this please log in to view this image
Winter's Song all the rage for the Sandown race today - nudging EVS currently. Should be an interesting race.
yh she looked nice first time out, Star Of Light looks tremendous value to me at 9/2 now, id expect some late support for her but looking at some of Gosdens Oaks fillies, they havent always been strongly fancied first time out at 3, Anapurna 6/1 3rd choice, Enable 5/1 3rd choice, shes probably going to come on plenty for the run again I thought Star Of Light and Winters Song looks potentially a class above the others, but the market was very tight when it opened, theres only 8k on betfair just now, theres still about 200k to come so well see what they really think at the off
theres also the tactical race element today, theres no pace and its Buick, Moore and Ryan against a practically unknown claimer, apparently Star Of Light isnt the most straightforward so they will be trying to teach her to settle and race properly, but that might not be optimal today as her best chance is probably to be on the front end, likely with Winters Song id like to see him bounce out with the mindset of being happy to lead or just sit 2nd with whatever does, I think thats how Buick will play it on Winters Song, because it could turn into a bit of a sprint and she wants 12f+
