Weatherbys Epassport Solutions Cheshire Oaks
Fillies' Listed, Chester 15:05
£120,000 guaranteed,
3yo only,
1m 3f 75y, Class 1   
Wednesday 8th May 2024

QuinnBet

1 Forest Fairy 11/4
2 Port Fairy 7/1
3 Seaward 17/2
6 ran NR: Ambiente Amigo, Flying Finn, Rubies Are Red
Distances: hd, 1¼l, 1l Time: 2m 28.27s (slow by 5.27s)

Forest Fairy showed her Betfred Oaks credentials with a thrilling win at Chester.

Jockey Rossa Ryan expertly guided the 11-4 shot to victory, narrowly edging out Port Fairy by a head. This victory marked Ryan’s first win at Chester after 39 previous attempts without success.

Forest Fairy’s impressive performance has caught the attention of bookmakers, with Paddy Power and Betfair halving her odds to 10/1 for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom.

Ryan said: “We went an okay gallop, they steadied up down the back and we got racing three (furlongs) out.

“She’s still showed a lot of signs of inexperience when I had to come out from behind and be a bit aggressive on her, but you can’t be but impressed by the way she got out and had a look around and still when the job needed to be done, she stuck her head down and galloped right out to the line.

“I’ll leave it up to Ralph and the team to decide where she goes next, but I would imagine that when she gets on softer going conditions, she’ll be a lot better again – and I’d imagine with racing, she’ll get better.

“She got away with the ground today, it’s probably on the slow side of good and I don’t think she’d want it any quicker than that.

“She did everything I asked of her and more and answered more questions than I thought she would. We shall see what the future holds, but she’s an exciting filly for sure and she’s one that should get better with time and with age.”

FormRatings

Forest Fairy was cut from 20-1 to 16s for Classic success in the Oaks at Epsom with sponsors Betfred and shortened to 10-1 by Quinnbet.

Beckett, who also saddled the third-placed Seaward, said: “It was a very good result on all levels, the winner is still a work in progress and was still learning plenty on the job today.

“I think it’s probable she’ll end up at Epsom on the last Friday of the month. I don’t think I will be too worried about the ground, they usually do a good job for the first day of that meeting, she’s a good-moving filly and I would imagine it will be similar ground to today.

“She was just very immature at two and we had to take our time with her. I think we were all a bit surprised by how well she won on her debut at Wolverhampton, but we certainly haven’t underestimated her since!”

He added on Seaward: “The filly that finished third ran a good race too and she could come back to 10 furlongs for a race like the Agnes Keyser at Goodwood (June 9).”

Weatherbys Digital Solutions Cheshire Oaks
(Robert Sangster Memorial Cup) (Fillies' Listed)
£120,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 3f 75y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good

POS. (DRAW) FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (1)    Forest Fairy 3 9-2 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 11/4
2 (9) hd Port Fairy 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 7/1
9 (2) 1¼ Seaward 3 9-2 Ralph Beckett Hector Crouch 17/2
5 (6) 1 Galileo Dame 3 9-2 Joseph O'Brien William Buick 7/4F
2 (8) 2 Beeley 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Kieran Shoemark 7/1
6 (4) 2¾ Lasting Love 3 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 7/1
NR 1 (7) Ambiente Amigo 3 9-2 James Owen NON RUNNER
NR 3 (5) Flying Finn 3 9-2 Adrian Paul Keatley NON RUNNER
NR 8 (3) Rubies Are Red 3 9-2 A P O'Brien NON RUNNER

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