Betfred Oaks |
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Epsom Downs 16:00 £550,000 guaranteed 3yo fillies only, 1m 4f 6y, Class 1  |
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Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Desert Flower has remained unbeaten in her four career starts. Her most recent triumph came in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, where she led from the outset and fended off all challengers to secure a one-length victory over Flight.
ALL-THE-WAY!
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 4, 2025
Desert Flower takes the @Betfred 1000 Guineas in ASTONISHING style 🏇💨 pic.twitter.com/HINIYHygRH
This win not only marked Appleby's first 1,000 Guineas success but also completed a Classic double for the trainer following Ruling Court’s 2,000 Guineas victory the previous day .
Sired by Night Of Thunder and out of Promising Run, Desert Flower's pedigree suggests a strong aptitude for middle-distance races. While the Oaks presents a step up to 1½ miles, her performances thus far suggest she possesses the necessary stamina and class to handle the extended trip.
Aidan O’Brien appears ready to unleash a three-pronged assault with Minnie Hauk, Giselle and Whirl all staking their claims after impressive trials wins at Chester, York and Lingfield.
“All signs point to those three fillies,” O’Brien told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. “The Musidora winner, the Cheshire Oaks winner and the Lingfield trial winner—that’s the trio in the frame right now. Nothing’s set in stone, of course, but that’s where our heads are at.”
Giselle, long admired for her raw talent, seems to be coming into her own. “She’s potentially very special,” O’Brien said. “Not the easiest customer—she’d give anyone a run for their money if you let her—but Ryan managed her beautifully at Lingfield. Since then she’s grown up a bit, settled in herself; she’s a big, powerful filly with a strong gallop.”
Adding another layer to the puzzle is the presence of Shadwell’s Elwateen, fourth in the 1000 Guineas and a possible late entry at Saturday’s supplementary stage for Saeed bin Suroor. Should she be given the green light, it could clear the path for Falakeyah to take the French route.
“You’ve got to factor in the New Bay angle as well—do they stay a mile and a half? There are plenty of voices, plenty of opinions, and rightly so. It’s an important decision and we want to get it right,” Burrows added.
“The owners have Saeed’s filly too—if she’s supplemented, that might open the door for us to look elsewhere. We’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
Betfred Oaks
£550,000 guaranteed,
3yo only, 1m 4f 6y, Class 1
9 remaining entries
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 1111-1 Desert Flower 3 9-2 Charlie Appleby
2 1-4 Elwateen 3 9-2 Saeed bin Suroor
3 213-1 Giselle 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
4 1-13 Go Go Boots 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden
5 21-1 Minnie Hauk 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
6 312-31 Qilin Queen 3 9-2 Ed Walker
7 1-2 Revoir 3 9-2 Ralph Beckett
8 313-51 Wemightakedlongway 3 9-2 Joseph O'Brien
9 511-61 Whirl 23 3 9-2 A P O'Brien
