10 JUDDMONTE OAKS CONTENDERS

CAPE AMBER (IRE)
b f Cape Cross (IRE) - Maramba (Rainbow Quest (USA))
Form: 1-2 Owner: Five Horses Limited
Trainer: Peter Chapple-Hyam Breeder: Five Horses Limited
Cape Amber is by Cape Cross, the sire of brilliant 2004 Oaks heroine Ouija Board, out of Maramba, from the family of fillies’ Triple Crown winner Oh So Sharp and St Leger winner Shantou. She is a half-sister to the smart juvenile winner Nyramba who arguably ran her best race at three when runner-up in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood. Cape Amber impressed when winning her sole two-year-old start at Newmarket on August 11. Racing on firm going, the filly hit the front a furlong from home and pulled three lengths clear of the runner-up Fifty. Cape Amber was considered for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket but a dirty scope put paid to that ambition, so connections opted instead to take her to York and the Group Two Musidora Stakes for her seasonal bow on May 14. Jamie Spencer gave the filly a patient ride, settling her in rear before staying on inside the final furlong to take second, five lengths behind the race fit Lush Lashes.
Race Record: Starts: 2 Wins: 1; 2nd: 1; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £17,446

CHINESE WHITE (IRE)
gr f Dalakhani (IRE) - Chiang Mai (Sadler’s Wells (USA))
Form: 1-1 Owner: Lady O’Reilly
Trainer: Dermot Weld IRE Breeder: Skymarc Farm & Castlemartin Stud
Chinese White could not have been more impressive in winning first time out over seven furlongs at Leopardstown on September 8. The filly made all under Pat Smullen and drew clear without being extended for an imperious six-length victory over runner-up Carbonia, with subsequent Group Two winner Kitty Matcham in fourth. Chinese White did not race again at two and made her eagerly awaited three-year-old debut at Gowran Park on May 4. Racing over an extended nine furlongs, the filly once more put daylight between herself and her rivals in winning the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes. After taking up the running entering the straight, Chinese White ran around on the testing ground but, despite showing signs of greenness, the grey filly pulled four and a half lengths clear of Zafayra. Chinese White is a daughter of Group Three winner Chiang Mai, who is herself a half-sister to French Oaks heroine Rafha, the dam of Invincible Spirit and Sadian.

Race Record: Starts: 2; Wins: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £42,305

CLOWANCE
b f Montjeu (IRE) - Freni (GER) (Sternkoenig (IRE))
Form: 4-11 Owner: Seasons Holidays
Trainer: Roger Charlton Breeder: Barry Hurley
Clowance was a 14/1 shot for her racecourse debut in a Newbury mile maiden on October 11. The home-bred daughter of Montjeu caught the eye as, after getting outpaced at a crucial stage, she stayed on in the style of a potentially good filly to take fourth behind the smart winner Strategic Mission. With a winter on her back, Clowance returned to Newbury for her seasonal bow on April 18 in the Robert Sangster Memorial Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over a mile and a quarter. Still showing signs of greenness, the filly progressed through the field under a confident Steve Drowne before taking the lead inside the final quarter mile and drawing clear for a smooth victory. The form was given solidity by the subsequent Lingfield Oaks Trial success of third-placed Miracle Seeker. Clowance’s Juddmonte Oaks claims were further strengthened on May 16 when she again strode the Newbury turf. Sent off the 11/8 favourite in the 10-furlong Listed Swettenham Stud Fillies’ Trial, the filly travelled well to the lead before idling in front but still won nicely from the Group Two-placed Kotsi. Clowance is out of a half-sister to the useful middle-distance mare Fusili and should relish the step up to a mile and a half at Epsom Downs.

Race Record: Starts: 3; Wins: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £22,807

KATIYRA (IRE)
b f Peintre Celebre (USA) - Katiykha (IRE) (Darshaan)
Form: 1-2 Owner: HH Aga Khan
Trainer: John Oxx IRE Breeder: HH The Aga Khan Studs Sc
Katiyra is by the exceptional 1997 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre out of the classy Listed winner Katiykha, whose biggest success came in the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot in 2000. Katiyra, who is bred to appreciate a mile and a half, made a winning debut at Leopardstown in August, justifying 9/2 favouritism to spreadeagle 15 rivals over seven furlongs. The filly showed a good turn off foot to quicken away above the distance and was two and a half lengths clear of runner-up Toirneach at the line. That was to be Katirya’s sole juvenile start and she returned to action this spring in the Group Three 1,000 Guineas Trial over a mile at Leopardstown on May 11. Facing eight opponents with more experience than herself, the filly showed immense promise in chasing home subsequent Irish 1,000 Guineas third Caribbean Sunset, going down by only half a length, with Indiana Gala a further length and a half third.

Race Record: Starts: 2 Wins: 1; 2nd: 1; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £20,735

KITTY MATCHAM (IRE)
b f Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) - Imagine (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells (USA))
Form: 44011-00 Owner: Diane Nagle
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE Breeder: Barronstown Stud & Tower Bloodstock
Kitty Matcham boasts a superb pedigree being by record breaking miler Rock Of Gibraltar out of Irish 1,000 Guineas and Juddmonte Oaks heroine Imagine, herself a half-sister to 1991 Derby hero Generous. Kitty Matcham showed little in her first three starts as a juvenile during August and September but displayed marked improvement as the season reached its conclusion. She opened her account at the fourth attempt in a six-furlong Naas maiden on October 14. Six days later she took the Group Two Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs on good to soft going at Newmarket to enter winter quarters as a leading Classic contender. Kitty Matcham made her three-year-old bow in the 1,000 Guineas back at Newmarket but could finish only ninth behind Natagora on ground possibly quicker than ideal. She fared no better on firm going in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 25, coming home 10th, some 16 lengths behind her victorious stablemate Halfway To Heaven.

Race Record: Starts: 6; Wins: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £50,241

LUSH LASHES
b f Galileo (IRE) - Dance For Fun (Anabaa (USA))
Form: 1-061 Owner: Jackie Bolger
Trainer: Jim Bolger IRE Breeder: Mrs A M Jenkins
Lush Lashes was purchased by Jim Bolger at Goffs in September, 2006, for 80,000 Euros. She more than repaid that outlay on her first racecourse appearance when winning the lucrative Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Fillies' Million, run on good to firm going over seven furlongs at the Curragh on September 14. That was Lush Lashes' only outing at two and she returned to action this term in the Group Three Park Express Stakes at the Curragh on March 30. The Galileo filly dropped out of contention in the final two furlongs of the mile contest, which was run on heavy going, finishing seventh of the nine runners. She put up a much improved effort on good to firm going in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4. The inexperienced filly showed signs of greenness and appeared not to handle the dip but stayed on strongly in the final furlong to take sixth, just two lengths behind the winner Natagora. Lush Lashes made the step up to 10 & 88 yards furlongs on her latest start in the Group Three Musidora Stakes at York 10 days later and was impressive in defeating some well-regarded rivals with relative ease as she pulled five lengths clear of runner-up Cape Amber.

Race Record: Starts: 4; Wins: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd -; Win & Place Prize Money: £704,665

MICHITA (USA)
b/br f Dynaformer (USA) - Thunder Kitten (USA) (Storm Cat (USA))
Form: 1-01 Owner: Stonerside Stable Llc
Trainer: John Gosden Breeder: Stonerside Stable
Michita leapt into the Juddmonte Oaks reckoning with an impressive victory in the 10-furlong Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood on May 21. Settled in mid-division under Jimmy Fortune, the filly made smooth headway in the straight to lead over a furlong out. Given licence to extend, Michita forged clear for an authoritative four and a half length win from runner-up Annie Skates. That victory came on good going but Michita had opened her account on soft ground the previous October. That sole juvenile outing came at Yarmouth and the filly saw off 12 rivals to take the mile maiden by half a length from Dove. She made her three-year-old debut at Newbury in the Fred Darling Stakes over seven furlongs on April 19. After getting worked up beforehand, she never figured and came home ninth of the 13 runners behind Muthabara. Michita put that effort well and truly behind her at Goodwood and the daughter of stamina influence Dynaformer should be well suited by the demands of the Juddmonte Oaks. The home-bred Michita is a half-sister to the useful US runner Thunder Mission out of Thunder Kitten, who was successful Stateside between six and nine furlongs.

Race Record: Starts: 3; Wins: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £20,045

MOONSTONE
b f Dalakhani (IRE) - Solo De Lune (IRE) (Law Society (USA))
Form: 24 Owner: Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE Breeder: Britton House Stud Ltd
Moonstone made her racecourse debut in a 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden on April 20. Held up off the pace, she stayed on well under an educational ride from Johnny Murtagh to claim second, a length and three quarters behind Winchester. She went to York and the Group Three Musidora Stakes for her second start on May 14 and ran with promise for one so inexperienced. She held every chance with a quarter of a mile to race but was unable to quicken when the race started in earnest and stayed on to finish fourth. Moonstone is a half-sister to the high-class Irish Oaks runner-up L’Ancresse and Group One Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky.

Race Record: Starts: 2; Wins: -; 2nd: 1; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £6,031

SAIL (IRE)
b f Sadler’s Wells (USA) - Pieds De Plume (FR) (Seattle Slew (USA))
Form: 0-21 Owner: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien IRE Breeder: Tetsu Nakata
Sail is a sister to the Group One runner-up Rave Reviews, as well as mile and a half Listed winner Fermion, and is a half-sister to Group Three victor Hearthstead Maison. Her dam is a half-sister to the top-class French racer Groom Dancer. Sail was seen only once in public as a juvenile. That belated debut came in November when she finished 12th of 18 in a seven-furlong Leopardstown maiden won by stablemate and subsequent Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Halfway To Heaven. She returned to action on April 6 at the same course when, sent off the 6/4 favourite, she showed promise in claiming the runner-up spot behind Beach Bunny in a 10-furlong maiden run on yielding ground. That effort booked the improving daughter of Sadler’s Wells a ticket to Chester for the Cheshire Oaks on May 7. Held up through the early stages of the extended 11-furlong Listed contest, Sail made good headway under Johnny Murtagh inside the final half mile and travelled strongly to lead 75 yards out. She crossed the line half a length to the good over the Barry Hills-trained Sugar Mint.

Race Record: Starts: 3; Wins: 1; 2nd: 1; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £25,517

SAPHIRA’S FIRE (IRE)
b f Cape Cross (IRE) - All Our Hope (USA) (Gulch (USA))
Form: -11 Owner: Mike Caddy
Trainer: William Muir Breeder: Gainsborough Stud Management Ltd
Saphira’s Fire boasts a perfect two from two record after making a belated racecourse debut at Wolverhampton on April 14. The Cape Cross filly enjoyed an ideal introduction as she defied odds of 33/1 to overcome the more experienced odds-on favourite Wood Chorus and prevail by a length and a half over nine furlongs on the Polytrack. Saphira’s Fire emerged as a potential Juddmonte Oaks contender on her second start when claiming a comfortable victory in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 4. The filly looked good value for more than the length and a half she put between herself and runner-up Cruel Sea in the 10-furlong contest that was won by the brilliant Ouija Board in 2004 en route to Epsom triumph. Saphira’s Fire is not yet entered in the Oaks but connections are considering adding her to the field at the supplementary stage. The Cape Cross filly, purchased by trainer William Muir for 55,000 guineas at Tattersalls in October, 2006, is a daughter of All Our Hope, third in the 1999 Sun Chariot Stakes and herself a daughter of 1989 Oaks fourth Knoosh. She was supplemented on May 31 at a cost of £20,000.

Race Record: Starts: 2; Wins: 2; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £19,488