Ouija set for a magic moment
There is always a question mark with four-year-old females staying in training, and she has had a couple of slight setbacks, but Ed Dunlop takes no chances with the best horse he has ever trained and she will go to the Knavesmire in fine order.
A blistering winner of the Epsom Oaks as well as the Irish equivalent and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, she was defeated but anything but disgraced in her only brush with the colts last season.
She was a close third to Bago in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after getting no luck during the race before she finished with a rare rattle a bit too late.
It is a privilege to see a horse like Ouija Board still racing and she deserves to reward her sporting owner Lord Derby.
Best bet of the day, and one of the bankers of the meeting for many, is Mick Channon’s speedy filly Flashy Wings, who puts her reputation on the line in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Channon has been comparing this daughter of Zafonic favourably to his other brilliant winners of this Group Two, Bint Allayl and Queen’s Logic.
If that was not a high enough accolade, Flashy Wings has looked pretty special on the track too.
She beat the useful Oceans Apart a touch cosily on her debut and sluiced up at Newbury last time, and it will take a good one to catch her.
Royal Prince deserves a change of fortune and appeals in the Royal Hunt Cup.
James Fanshawe’s grey was prolific last term, winning twice in June before looking for a while to be in the grip of the handicapper, but rounded off the campaign with another victory in October.
He has been just as competitive this season off a higher mark, starting off at Sandown, where he finished second to the consistent Momtic, who scored decisively at Epsom recently.
Royal Prince did not have any luck that day, so he did well to finish within half a length of the winner.
He was disappointing at Goodwood last time when fifth, but it later emerged that he got very upset in the stalls.
