“He’s in great shape. We are delighted with him. He does not necessarily need soft ground.
Christophe Soumillion (the jockey) is happy with the horse. He is fit and ready to go to war,” said,
Paul Harley, Racing Manager for the owners of Shirocco.
Ouija Board, the Oaks heroine in 2004, is in the field. Ouija Board was a Breeders Cup winner at Lone
Star Park in 2004. After failing in the Japan Cup in Tokyo in late November, Ouija Board traveled to
Hong Kong to win the Grade I Gold Cup last December. In her most recent start, she raced
disappointingly at Al Nad Sheba on Dubai World Cup day in late March. Frankie Dettori has the mount.
Kieren Fallon rides Ace. Ace has credentials that may not be as glittering but he is a
determined and courageous horse. He was second to Azamour in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at
Royal Ascot in York in 2005. He is not out of it by any means.
The Oaks is the co-feature on Friday. Alexandrova is at the head of the market. She was
beaten in the Musidora Stakes at York. The going was heavy. She had a troubled start and lost
a great deal of ground. She was beaten by Short Skirt who reopposes in the Oaks. Alexandrova is part of the
O’Brien-Fallon team.
Short Skirt is trained by Michael Stoute who has expressed cautious optimism.
Speciosa, an upset winner in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, is in the Oaks. Her owners
wanted to go to the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh but changed their minds in the belief
that 12 furlongs would be within Speciosa’s reach.
