Arabian Queen

Arabian Queen put up a really impressive performance to win the opener at Epsom on Oaks day, the one-mile Group 3 contest for fillies and mares.

Kicked out of the gate from stall one by Silvestre de Sousa, the David Elsworth-trained filly scuttled up the rail to quickly take up an early lead, and she was never headed. She travelled well around the home turn and down the hill and, when her rider asked her to go on again two and a half furlongs out, she quickly opened up a gap on her pursuers as they came off the bridle. The race was well over as a contest when she reached the furlong pole, about three lengths clear, and she kept going all the way to the line to win by four lengths from Crowley's Law, with Odeliz and Bold Lass back in third and fourth and the first four clear.

The only three-year-old in a race in which the Classic generation do not traditionally fare too well, Arabian Queen led the whole way, but there was no sense that she was allowed an easy lead. She set a good tempo, and she clocked a good time, the fastest comparative time of the day, faster than the time that Arod clocked over the same course and distance in winning the Diomed Stakes, and 0.02secs/furlong faster than Racing Post par.

David Elsworth's filly was a high-class juvenile last year. She beat High Celebrity in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting, albeit it under an astute ride from Ryan Moore, and she ran in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on her final run. She went well on easy ground last year, but she proved on Friday that she could be highly effective in quicker conditions too. She apparently had sinus issues last year, but an operation has put those right, and she could progress to be a high-class filly this season. She holds an entry in the Coronation Stakes, that's how highly-regarded she is by Jeff Smith and David Elsworth. Out of 12-furlong filly Barshiba, who only had one eye, she should progress for stepping up in trip again though, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.

5th June 2015

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