Lashes thrashes York foes

The Jim Bolger-trained Lush Lashes stormed to the head of the market for the Vodafone Oaks next month when thrashing her rivals in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The filly was an eye-catching sixth in the 1,000 Guineas 10 days ago and continued her improvement by romping away with the Group 3 event under Kevin Manning.

Cruel Sea set a really strong pace but as early challengers Moonstone and Dar Re Mi began to struggle the daughter of Galileo swept down the outside before quickening clear to record a five-length victory.

Cape Amber was the last to be delivered by Jamie Spencer and although she ran on well for second on her seasonal return, she could never get to grips with the impressive winner.

Having spoken to Bolger at his base in Ireland, the trainer's travelling head lad Ger Flynn said: "The boss has just been on the phone and he says we're not going to rule anything out.

"At the moment the Oaks at Epsom and the Curragh are on the cards, but it will more likely be the Curragh. We won't rule the English Oaks out, we'll see how she is when we get her home.

"That is her second trip over here so we need to see how much the race has taken out of her and how many kilos she has lost.

"She did it very easily though and Kevin was very, very happy with her.

"There is a good break between now and the Irish Oaks, but Epsom is only three weeks away."

Peter Chapple-Hyam is looking forward to a possible re-match with the winner after Cape Amber's promising reappearance run.

"I'm absolutely delighted as we've had a stop-start year with her," he said.

"First we were aiming at the 1,000 Guineas and then the Fred Darling and

everybody knows my horses have not been quite right.

"But this race was a better distance for her to come back at and she'll be even better over a mile and a half with a bit more give in the ground.

"She's a really good filly."