Is there another top-class filly lurking in a highly competitive Cheshire Oaks?

It has long been recognised as an Oaks trial, but just two winners of the Cheshire equivalent have gone on to Epsom glory since the turn of the century.

Light Shift in 2007 and the great Enable ten years later are the two who did the double, while Forever Together was runner-up in this in 2017 before winning the Oaks.

York's Musidora Stakes next week has become the go-to Oaks trial, but the Cheshire Oaks has thrown up plenty of other recent Group 1 heroines too, with four of the last ten winners going on to strike at the highest level.

They include Savethelastdance, who a year ago won by a remarkable 22 lengths and followed up in the Irish Oaks. She gave Aidan O'Brien a record-breaking eighth success in the Cheshire Oaks, and Ryan Moore, who bids to become the outright winningmost jockey, a sixth.

The pair have teamed up successfully for the last two years with Thoughts Of June winning in 2022 and Moore rides Port Fairy out of O'Brien's duo.

Stamina looked as though it would be the daughter of Australia's forte when she won by a neck at Dundalk and, while more will be required, like Savethelastdance, she is unexposed. Ballydoyle's runners can never be discounted at the meeting, given O'Brien has struck with ten of his 15 runners at Chester in the last five years at a formidable 67 per cent strike-rate.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Galileo Dame thrived when storming to victory on her return over 1m2f at Leopardstown and hit the line hard. On that evidence, she will relish going up in trip again.

Forest Fairy is equally as exciting given the way she beat her rivals, including two expensive Godolphin purchases, on her debut at Wolverhampton in February. While that form looks modest, she was eased right down and this tight track will play to her strengths. The 20-1 available for the Oaks could easily disappear after this.

Beeley's race could be over before it even begins, given she has already been withdrawn twice for getting loose. She was no match for impressive stablemate Siyola at Sandown last time but is bred to stay.

Flying Finn has already scored won this season, but both of those victories came over a mile on testing ground and the drying conditions are not in her favour and she is not a guaranteed stayer on pedigree.
Analysis by Matt Rennie

What they say

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Beeley
She showed what she can do when second to a nice filly of ours at Sandown last time and she's come out of that in good shape. She shapes as if this extra distance should play to her strengths.

Adrian Keatley, trainer of Flying Finn
She’s won very easily the last two times and deserves to try to earn some black type. The extra distance will help a lot and better ground will be no problem.

Rossa Ryan: elated after winning the July Cup last week

Rossa Ryan: partners leading fancy Forest Fairy Credit: Edward Whitaker

Rossa Ryan, rider of Forest Fairy
I was impressed with her debut win and she has come forward for that. It’s a big jump in class but she’s been doing everything right at home. I don’t see why Chester wouldn’t suit her. She was a bit green at Wolverhampton but learned plenty for that.

Joseph O’Brien, trainer of Galileo Dame
She seems in very good form and if she handles the better ground she'll go close. She's well capable of being competitive at this level.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Lasting Love
She’s still a little bit green but she's improving. She has a very good pedigree.

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Port Fairy
We were delighted with Port Fairy at Dundalk and she's come forward plenty for that.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

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