Talent on song for Oaks

Trainer Ralph Beckett is confident Epsom heroine Talent is in the best possible shape as she aims to complete the English-Irish Oaks double at the Curragh this evening.

Despite victory in Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes on her seasonal reappearance, the daughter of New Approach was a 20-1 outsider for the Investec Oaks at the end of May, with stable companion Secret Gesture Beckett’s major hope of winning the Epsom Classic for the second time following Look Here triumph in 2008.

Secret Gesture ran an excellent race but was unable to repel the charge of Talent, who flew down the outside of the field in the straight to strike by almost four lengths under Richard Hughes.