Legatissimo Favored in 11-Horse Investec Oaks
Description:
A field of 11 fillies is due to go to post for the £450,000, 1 1/2-mile Investec Oaks (Eng-I) June 5, the first day of the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs.
Legatissimo, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer David Wachman, is the 11-4 favorite with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival. The 3-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer who races for Michael Tabor, Derrick, and Sue Magnier landed the first fillies' classic of the season in the mile QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket May 3, and will attempt to become the 48th filly to win both elite races.
Closely behind Legatissimo at 3-1 in the betting is Crystal Zvezda (jockey Richard Hughes, trainer Sir Michael Stoute), who caught the eye with a stunning reappearance in the listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury May 16.
Meon Valley Stud's black and while silks have been a familiar sight on British racecourses since the 1970s, with many of the best performers from the Weinfeld family's breeding operation descending from the legendary foundation broodmare Reporcolor, who herself finished fourth in the 1979 Oaks.
Meon Valley Stud, whose horses run in the name of Helena Springfield Limited, is represented by Jazzi Top (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori) at 12-1. The daughter of Danehill Dancer is out of group I winner Zee Zee Top, while her grandam is 1986 Irish Oaks winner and Epsom Oaks fourth-place finisher Colorspin.
Jazzi Top won the 10-furlong Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 3, defeating Zanda by 1 1/2 lengths. The two most recent winners of the Investec Oaks—Talent (2013) and Taghrooda (2014)—both won the Newmarket contest before going on to Classic glory at Epsom Downs.
"To have another contender for the Investec Oaks is a great position to be in," said Mark Weinfeld, for the family-owned Meon Valley Stud. "Our aim is to breed top-class horses, so when it actually happens and you breed a racehorse good enough to line up with the best, it is very thrilling for all the team. It's what we breeders dream of."
Aidan O'Brien, seeking a fifth Investec Oaks, has three declared runners. The Ballydoyle trio are impressive listed Cheshire Oaks winner Diamondsandrubies (Seamie Heffernan, 7-1), last year's group I Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Joseph O'Brien, 11-1), and Qualify (Colm O'Donoghue, 66-1), a group III winner last year but down the field in both the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas and Irish One Thousand Guineas this season.
Number, Post, Horse, Trainer, Jockey
1) (3) Al Naamah, Andre Fabre, Gregory Benoist
2) (7) Bellajeu, Ralph Beckett, Andrea Atzeni
3) (8) Crystal Zvezda, Sir Michael Stoute, Richard Hughes
4) (5) Diamondsandrubies, Aidan O'Brien, Seamie Heffernan
5) (9) Jack Naylor, Jessica Harrington, Fran Berry
6) (10) Jazzi Top, John Gosden, Frankie Dettori
7) (11) Lady of Dubai, Luca Cumani, Adam Kirby
8) (1) Legatissimo, David Wachman, Ryan Moore
9) (2) Qualify, Aidan O'Brien, Colm O'Donoghue
10) (6) Star of Seville, John Gosden, William Buick
11) (4) Together Forever, Aidan O'Brien, Joseph O'Brien