QUEEN Mikki is now very much in line to be crowned champion three-year-old filly following her impressive win in last Sunday’s Group 1 Japanese Oaks.

The daughter of Deep Impact didn’t debut until December last year and needed two attempts to break her maiden. She followed up by taking second in the Group 3 Daily Hai Queen Cup in February but had not earned enough money to allow the Mizuki Noda-owned three-year-old a run in the Group 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas). Therefore, on Guineas weekend, she ran instead in the Listed Wasurenagusa Sho which she won convincingly. It may have been a blessing in disguise as it allowed her trainer, Yasuotoshi Ikee, take his time in preparing the 425kg diminutive bay for her first classic tilt.