Ouija Board wins The Vodafone English Oaks(Gr.1) in spectacular style
By Bob Sawhny
June 05, 2004

The Ed Dunlop-trained Ouija Board (Cape Cross-Selection Board) was confidently ridden by Kieren Fallon to a spectacular seven length victory, in The Vodafone English Oaks(Gr.1), at Epsom on Friday.

The classy daughter of Cape Cross, was given a superb ride by Fallon to hand both her owner and her trainer Ed Dunlop, a first English Classic winner.

The champion English jockey, settled her in the rear, as Kisses for Me set the early pace, with Frankie Dettori soon taking it up on Punctillious, to step up the pace . Sundrop, pulled hard under Kerrin McEvoy all the way and she soon faded out of it turning for home, as Dettori kicked on.

Gambled-on favourite, All Too Beautiful was poised on the outside and Jamie Spencer delivered her to make what look like a winning run two furlongs out, but he had no answer to Fallon, who was biding his time before throwing down his challenge on Ouija Board. 

Changing gears smoothly for her rider, she sailed home seven lengths clear of All Too Beautiful, with Punctillious coming in a further three and a half lengths back in third and Necklace filled the frame to clinch the fourth place. Ouija Board who was available at around 4-1, stopped the clock at Two Minutes 35.410 seconds. 

A trip to the Curragh for The Darley Irish Oaks, is now on the cards for the winner, who is likely to be supplemented at a cost of 40,000 euros. Ouija Board, was bred at the owner Lord Derby's Stanley House Stud in Newmarket and carried the famous black silks with a white 'lucky button' and cap.

Ouija Board