Savethelastdance shot to clear the Oaks’ favoritism in Epsom after defeating their rivals in the Cheshire Oaks on the first day of the Boodles May Festival in Chester.
A favorite with Infinite Cosmos before her return to the Roodee, the Aidan O’Brien filly was sent off for 8/11 for the Listed contest on Wednesday after the withdrawal of her main rival, Luckin Brew.
Kept quiet in midfield from the start by Ryan Moore, Savethelastdance overcame the field on the outside turning inside and raced to beat There’s The Door by a comfortable 22 lengths, with Ermesinde again in third.
The bookies were impressed with their performance and took no chances, coming up short at 6/4 for the Classic at Epsom the next month.
Winning owner Paul Smith said Sky Sports Racing: “It was nice to see that. Ryan was really complimentary and said that she hit the line really hard. I couldn’t have been happier.”
Savethelastdance is as short as 6/4 for Oaks at Epsom after Cheshire Oaks win
“She recovered very well from her last race in Ireland and handled that digging in the ground.
“It’s straight to Oaks now and we’re looking forward to it.”
Ziggy’s Phoenix he was good away from home and made every yardage of the run to bring home a one-two to Middleham Park Racing in the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes Betting Conditions.
Ziggy’s Phoenix beats Ziggy’s Dream to win the Lily Agnes
The Richard Hannon-trained filly won from the front at Ripon when she broke her duck in her second start and it was a similar story as she was ousted from the 9/4 favorite in the Roodee.
With a huge draw for place one, the Kodiac daughter slammed the gates into the hands of Ryan Moore, and after burning the Balon D’Or, which leveled the winner step-by-step down the stretch, bravely held on when her teammate Middleham Park runner Ziggy’s Dream, took flight in the final stages.
He was subsequently given a quote of 14/1 by Paddy Power and Betfair for the Queen Mary Stakes over the same five furlong trip at Royal Ascot.
It was all a change late in the £100K Guaranteed Tote Placepot Every Day Handicap like William Buick and danger alert (12/1) got up in the closing strides to deny Billy Loughnane in the favorite Jer Batt.
