THE INVESTEC OAKS

(GROUP 1)

MINDING, a very tough, determined filly as well as a brilliant one, overcame problems to claim the Group 1 Investec Oaks at Epsom yesterday.

Hemmed in at one stage soon after turning for home and taking a blow to the face into the bargain, she was switched inside, then out by Ryan Moore, threaded her way between rivals and found a truly remarkable burst to close down Architecture in the closing stages, winning by nearly two lengths with Harlequeen all of eight lengths back in third. But for the scrimmaging three furlongs out, she would have completely outclassed her rivals and some would say she did anyway.

Minding (10/11 favourite) was last early on as stable-companion Somehow led the way, shadowed by Diamonds Pour Moi, who sadly broke down later on. Australian Queen then came through to join Somehow, with William Buick moving Skiffle alongside the favourite as they entered the final half-mile.

As Buick tried to throw down a challenge on the outside, Minding was jolted by Kevin Manning’s elbow on Turret Rocks with Colm O’Donoghue on Seventh Heaven, another stable-companion, desperately trying to give Moore room.

Astonishingly, with plenty to do and no quarter asked or given, Minding made ground calmly and efficiently before the sustained burst which made doubts concerning her stamina seem like just so much hot air.

SHEER BRILLIANCE

She was brilliant in the Guineas, banged her head at the Curragh but still nearly won, and was brilliant again here. It was a slow time, as it was bound to be in the ground, but there have been few if any better fillies in recent years. Moore, previously successful on Snow Fairy six years ago, was full of praise.

“They came on top of me and I had nowhere to go,” he said. “Then Architecture got first run, absolutely, but this is a very, very good filly. She stayed, of course, but it was her class which got her out of trouble.”

Aidan O’Brien was winning the race for the sixth time. Once again, his quiet words of wisdom counted for more than anything uttered by a hundred experts and he never entertained any worries about the daughter of Galileo staying the extra half-mile. “She’s an incredible filly,” he said. “She has speed, class and stamina, heart, courage and guts. To do what she did at Newmarket, then go to the Curragh at short notice and come on here was hard but she is exceptional. I think she’s probably earned a rest now and we’ll take it easy for a few weeks.”

The trainer is far too canny to be drawn on the subject of running in the Derby (a serious suggestion a few weeks ago) but co-owner Michael Tabor, who always favoured the fillies’ Classic, laughed and said: “I don’t know, maybe we should have done. She was something else here and she’s as good a filly as we’ve seen for a very long while.”

There were no hard luck stories. Frankie Dettori kicked when he had to on Hugo Palmer’s runner-up and was not shaken off immediately, while Harlequeen’s owners have a bargain and she covered herself in glory. Everything else was pretty much out with the washing and Godolphin’s Skiffle found little after Buick’s enterprising surge on the outside. The ‘boys in blue’ have enjoyed a good campaign so far but Group 1s are all important. On yesterday’s evidence, it will be a while yet before Coolmore, O’Brien, Moore and the unstoppable Galileo lose any sleep.