YOU can see the argument for dropping Pink Dogwood down in trip to 10 furlongs, and you can see the argument for giving her another shot at 12.

The Ballydoyle filly showed an impressive turn of foot in the Oaks to hit the front inside the two-furlong marker, before she was run down close home by the staying-on Anapurna.

By Camelot, a Guineas and Derby winner and a St Leger runner-up, and a full-sister to Irish Derby winner Latrobe, you would expect that a mile and a half would be her optimum distance and, sure enough, she put up a career-best at Epsom on her first attempt at the trip. She is worth another shot at a mile and a half. She would be a leading player in the Kerrygold Irish Oaks.

In the meantime, however, she could drop down in trip for the Pretty Polly Stakes on Irish Derby weekend, a race that has been mentioned by her trainer. Take on the older fillies over 10 furlongs. The Pretty Polly Stakes is on June 28th this year. The Irish Oaks is on July 20th. That’s three weeks and one day of a break, and that is plenty.

Dance Design did it in 1996, won the Pretty Polly then stepped up in trip and won the Irish Oaks. Peeping Fawn did it in 2007.

Similar profile

Actually, Pink Dogwood’s profile now is very similar to Peeping Fawn’s profile then. Both trained by Aidan O’Brien, both second in the Oaks at Epsom, both with five races under their belts going into the Oaks.

Peeping Fawn raced four times after the Oaks. She won the Pretty Polly Stakes, the Irish Oaks, the Nassau Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. That would be a highly ambitious programme for Pink Dogwood, but those four races are all legitimate targets.

MATCH each one of the first five horses home in the Derby to his correct next primary objective. (The first one is done for you.)

1. Anthony Van Dyck a. King Edward VII Stakes

2. Madhmoon b. Queen’s Vase

3. Japan c. Irish Derby

4. Broome d. Eclipse

5. Sir Dragonet e. St Leger