If it’s Epsom, then it must be Aidan O’Brien. And yet again, as we approach the 2021 Epsom Classics, Ballydoyle is in a dominant position with Santa Barbara and stablemate Snowfall at the head of betting on the Oakson Friday and Bolshoi Ballet in pole position for the Derby 24 hours later.
O’Brien has won both races eight times – and here Nicholas Godfrey ranks the trainer’s previous winners of the fillies’ Classic. His Derby 1-8 will be published tomorrow.
1. Minding (2016)
Sire: Galileo
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Starting odds: 10/11 favourite
Best Racing Post Rating 123; Oaks RPR 118
A 7-time G1 winner by the end of her 3-year-old campaign, Minding is Aidan O’Brien’s top performer of either sex since the TRC Global Rankings era started in January 2011.
As clear-cut as it was, purely in terms of form her Epsom victory was hardly her best, as she scored by a length and three-quarters over Architecture in a weakish race featuring only two previous Group winners, while Minding herself had been turned over at long odds-on on soft ground in the Irish Guineas after an imperious Newmarket 1000 Guineas success.
Then again, there was rain at Epsom and Minding was almost knocked to a standstill at the head of the straight before showing a top-class turn of foot to win decisively, despite not truly staying the Classic trip (see video below). “She has speed, class, stamina, a great mind – everything,” suggested O’Brien.
Not asked to run over 1m4f again, Minding went on to show her versatility in no uncertain terms when beating Europe’s top milers at their own game in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Named European Cartier Horse of the Year, she made a winning comeback at four before a pastern injury ended her career.
Minding’s full-sister Empress Josephine won the Irish 1000 Guineas on May 23.
2. Love (2020)
Sire: Galileo
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Starting odds: 11/10 favourite
Best RPR 124; Oaks RPR 122
If this list were being compiled purely on the basis of performance in the Oaks, then Love would already be number one. As she is still in training, she might get there anyway; she is certainly well on the way after a spectacular blemish-free 3-race Classic campaign in which she emulated Minding in winning the Guineas and Oaks – both by wide margins – followed by a 5-length win in the Yorkshire Oaks.
Love’s Epsom triumph came in July in a Covid-delayed Classic in which she was made favourite following her easy Newmarket success. John Gosden-trained Ribblesdale winner Frankly Darling was sole market rival in what was widely perceived as a 2-horse race, but she and the others were outclassed by an outstanding winner, who picked up the pacemakers two out before bounding away under hands and heels to win by 9 lengths over stablemate Ennistymon.
“She’s very special,” said O’Brien. “It’s hard to say you would ever have a filly better than that.”
3. Alexandrova (2006)
Sire: Sadler’s Wells
Jockey: Kieren Fallon
Starting odds: 9/4 favourite
Best RPR 121; Oaks RPR 118
For all that Alexandrova achieved, it is hard to escape the idea that she might have done even more given the opportunity. Made favourite for the Oaks after what was described by the Racing Post as a “spectacular” gallop at Ballydoyle, the daughter of Sadler’s Wells fluffed her lines at odds-on on her seasonal debut in the Musidora Stakes before redeeming herself with a thumping 6-length victory at Epsom, in a totally different league from her rivals as she justified favouritism.
While the form could be crabbed – 33/1 chance Rising Cross was second, Guineas winner Speciosa didn’t stay – there could be no doubting the impression left by a runaway winner who produced a brilliant turn of foot. “I never thought until today that I'd get a feel from a filly in the Oaks like I did from Ouija Board two years ago,” said jockey Kieren Fallon.
She went on to complete an Oaks treble in the Irish and Yorkshire versions, running out a comfortable winner on both occasions and leaving her trainer lauding her “electric turn of speed” and “amazing 0-60”. The world was seemingly her oyster, but she pulled up sore after a below-par third at odds-on in the Prix de l’Opera and a promised comeback at four came to nought.
4. Imagine (2001)
Sire: Sadler’s Wells
Jockey: Mick Kinane
Starting odds: 3/1 favourite
Best RPR 119; Oaks RPR 115
A half-sister to dual Derby winner Generous, Imagine was having the tenth start of her busy young career at Epsom, where she was sent off favourite after improving markedly to win the Irish Guineas only 12 days beforehand. Further progression seemed likely from the daughter of Sadler’s Wells as she was stepped up in trip for a weak-looking Oaks, and so it proved as she was restrained in rear before being ridden out to beat market rival Flight Of Fancy by a length and a quarter.
Given that Imagine looked ill at ease on both the fast ground and Epsom’s undulations, this was a decent effort as she powered home from a mile back once Mick Kinane had got her on the level. In truth, though, the form was awful in this context – none of the first six ever won another race in Europe, and fourth-placed Mot Juste was the only one of them to win anywhere, and that was only a minor allowance contest at Saratoga 14 months later. Mind you, the first two never had much chance to pad their record, as neither of them ran again.
Imagine is the dam of two G1 winners: Horatio Nelson (by Danehill) and Van Gogh (by American Pharoah).
5. Shahtoush (1998)
Sire: Alzao
Jockey: Mick Kinane
Starting odds: 12/1
Best RPR 120; Oaks RPR 120
Deserves special mention in O’Brien’s personal pantheon as the trainer’s first-ever runner at Epsom – and, of course, his first-ever winner there.
King Of Kings had become then-28-year-old O’Brien’s first British Classic winner only a month earlier in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, where Shahtoush stayed on strongly to finish 5-length second to Cape Verdi in the 1000. With that Godolphin filly sent to take on the colts in the Derby, the Oaks looked there for the taking – but possibly not by Shahtoush, who posted a dismal effort in the Irish Guineas on faster ground.
Victory owed much to a tactical masterclass from Mick Kinane, who dropped her out before surprising Frankie Dettori and Bahr with a decisive burst a furlong out, just as her rival had got the better of the favourite, Midnight Line. “I think Frankie thought he had it won,” smiled the rider. “I'm sure I gave him a bit of a shock.”
Shahtoush beat only one horse home on two subsequent outings before retirement.
6. Forever Together (2018)
Sire: Galileo
Jockey: Donnacha O’Brien
Starting odds: 7/1
Best RPR 117: Oaks RPR 117
Described as a “proper staying filly” by her 19-year-old jockey, the trainer’s youngest son Donnacha, O’Brien’s seventh Oaks winner produced a solid effort at Epsom, albeit on soft ground against a depleted field minus several potential candidates.
Unlucky not to finish closer to stablemate Magic Wand – one of four Ballydoyle stablemates in a 9-runner Oaks – after meeting trouble in the Cheshire Oaks, she was still a maiden at Epsom, where she appreciated a greater test of stamina as stable companion Bye Bye Bay took up pacemaking duties. Challenging down the stands side, she outfinished her rivals to score nicely by 4½ lengths from Wild Illusion in a Classic where O’Brien fillies went 13458.
A late May foal, Forever Together looked progressive but remarkably this was to be the only success of her 6-race career, and she was retired after a narrow defeat behind top-grade middle-distance filly Sea Of Class in the Irish Oaks.
7. Was (2012)
Sire: Galileo
Jockey: Seamie Heffernan
Starting odds: 20/1
Best RPR 115; Oaks RPR 114
At 1.2 million guineas, Was became the most expensive European yearling sold at auction in 2010. Having won a maiden at 2 and come third in a G3 at Naas on her 3-year-old debut two weeks previously, she wasn’t overburdened with experience on her third start at Epsom, where she was one of five Ballydoyle contenders – only one of which (100/30 second favourite Maybe) started at less than 20/1.
In a messy race run at a steady pace, the winner was given a well-judged ride close to the moderate gallop before exploiting a gap on the rail to score by a neck over fellow outside Shirocco Star. Surely, though, she must be adjudged a fortunate winner, not least given how much ground market leader The Fugue made up out wide in the closing stages to finish a close third after being hampered.
Was had six more runs and never won again, though she was placed in a handful of G1s.
8. Qualify (2015)
Sire: Fastnet Rock
Jockey: Colm O’Donoghue
Starting odds: 50/1
Best RPR 116; Oaks RPR 116
According to Racing Post Ratings, Qualify only once produced form within 10lb of her Oaks in nine other career starts – and her only other win came in a G3 at the Curragh as a 2-year-old. Frankly, you’d have needed powers of second sight to forecast the daughter of Fastnet Rock’s Epsom success, which could serve as a dictionary definition of ‘shock result’.
Unseen in 1000 Guineas in England and Ireland, Qualify looked to have stacks to find but she improved for the step up in trip and avoided trouble in a messy race under a patient ride from Ballydoyle understudy Colm O’Donoghue, getting up in the last stride from Coolmore’s David Wachman-trained Guineas winner Legatissimo, the mount of Ryan Moore.
The winner ran just once more, never offering any sort of threat when ambitiously spotted in the Irish Derby.