Taghrooda eyes York glory ahead of Arc bid

Taghrooda could earn a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe if she can clinch a third Group One of a glorious summer in today’s Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

John Gosden’s Sea The Stars filly put up a brilliant display in the Investec Oaks at Epsom in June and was all set to run in the Irish equivalent.

However, owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum had a late change of heart and made the bold call to pitch her in against the boys and her elders in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

It was a move which paid off as she kept intact her unbeaten record in scintillating fashion.

Taghrooda is, unsurprisingly, a warm order at York to take her career record to five wins from five starts, with her trainer already eyeing a trip to Paris in October.

Gosden said: “She took the King George very well.

“The Yorkshire Oaks was always the plan for her. After her win in the Oaks it was a race we had in our mind.

“There was a slight change of plan in the middle when we changed from Ireland to Ascot but she has handled it all very well.

“In terms of herself, I am very happy with her. It should be good racing ground and we are looking forward to it.

“If she runs a nice race at York we’ll aim for the Arc and I think we would go straight there rather than taking in a race such as the (Prix) Vermeille, which would mean travelling to France twice in three weeks.”

Volume was a little under four lengths behind Taghrooda at Epsom and arguably performed even better when finishing a close third in the Irish Oaks, having attempted to make all of the running.

Trainer Luca Cumani said: “Volume has to take on Taghrooda again but she’s a tough, consistent filly and she deserves to run in all the big mile-and-a-half fillies’ races.”

Godolphin’s Tasaday won multiple Group races during her days with Andre Fabre in France and showed a liking for York when getting off the mark for Saeed bin Suroor in Britain in a Listed event last month.

Bin Suroor said: “She’s doing good and won her last race well. She worked really well in her last piece of work and we are really happy with her.

“It is a tough race, but she is in good form and has a chance.”

Talent enjoyed a fantastic three-year-old campaign for Ralph Beckett, claiming Classic glory in the Investec Oaks as well as filling the runner-up spot in the St Leger.

However, she has not yet rediscovered that level of form this term and Beckett admits he is hopeful, rather than confident, heading into her latest assignment.

He said: “We’re going there hoping for the best. I wouldn’t say I was confident, but she looks great and is in good shape.”

“She is capable (of getting involved). We’ll just have to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, Pat Smullen would not swap his mount Anthem Alexander for any other filly in today’s Pinsent Masons Lowther Stakes at York.

Smullen admitted to being excited about the Eddie Lynam-trained filly from the very first day he sat on her and despite her debut defeat on soft ground, she lived up to early expectations by winning the Queen Mary over five furlongs at Royal Ascot.

That victory means she must carry a 3lb penalty against the likes of Tiggy Wiggy, who was just a neck behind at Ascot, and Albany Stakes winner Cursory Glance, but Smullen is oozing confidence as Anthem Alexander steps back up to six furlongs this time.

“I’m really looking forward to the race,” said Smullen.

“She’s excited me since the first day I sat on her.

“I can’t see the extra furlong being an issue, she battled all the way to the line at Ascot and she was going on again.

“It’s a very good renewal and she’s got to give 3lb to everything, so we’ll find out how good she really is.

“I rode her at home about seven to 10 days ago and I couldn’t have been more pleased with her.

“I certainly wouldn’t swap her, put it that way.”