Equinties - the York Dante

Gm Equinauts

Ballydoyle and the Coolmore boys have swept up in the Classic Trials so far this season thanks for weapons of homebred destruction and Ryan Moore in the plate, and we’re only just halfway through May…The season has barely started!

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

MOORE MOORE MOORE

Coolmore have a plethora of Classic chances to plot across England, Ireland, and France, and they could add one more today with THE LION IN WINTER in the Dante. That’s another story, however.

The one that added themselves to the Classic picture yesterday was WHIRL after her runaway success in the Musidora, and now she is 10/1 for the Epsom Oaks.

But, hold all bets, we wouldn’t start backing her for the Epsom Classic based on the post-race comments. More on that in a second, but first, there’s actually a lot to digest from what happened yesterday. Firstly, what she did on the track was impressive. It all looked a bit easy for her, and she was the winner from a long way out, but that could just be due to the quality of her opposition.

The second thing to note is her SP. She drifted out to 4/1! Considering Michael Tabor was on track, and the field she was up against was beatable, sending her off at 4/1 is pretty remarkable, especially given we knew they were strong on her. You could maybe read into this slightly negatively.

The third, and final, thing to note is those post-race comments. Tabor doesn’t think that TWIRL is an Oaks filly, and he thinks the Prix de Diane could be more up her street.

Tabor said: "I don't think Whirl is an Oaks filly. I think she'd probably get a mile and a half but a mile and a quarter in something like the Prix de Diane would be more suitable, I think. But I haven't discussed it with Derrick or John [Magnier] or Aidan. That's just my thinking."

So, with these comments taken onboard, she could be one to avoid in the market for the Oaks, though this still leaves MINNIE HAUK and GISELLE as Ballydoyle’s potentials for Epsom.

‘The Lads’ certainly have a nice problem to work out.

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