held up in touch, headway on outside 2f out, stayed on gamely under pressure to lead final 100 yards, all out
held up towards rear, ridden over 4f out, kept on final 2f, never nearer
led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened rapidly, tailed off
started slowly, soon in mid-division, slightly hampered 9f out, no impression and struggling 3f out
towards rear, ridden over 4f out, kept on final 2f, never dangerous
held up in touch, chased leaders under pressure 2f out, soon ridden, kept on one pace final furlong
tracked leader, ridden and checked over 3f out, soon weakened, tailed off final 2f
close up, led over 3f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong
pulled up, held up behind, hampered after 3f, dropped to rear and well behind 7f out, pulled up inside final furlong
chased leaders, ridden and every chance 2f out, one pace approaching final furlong
held up, headway 3f out, led over 1f out, ridden and headed inside final furlong, no extra final 100 yards
held up towards rear, headway 2f out, kept on, nearest finish
held up mid-division, under pressure over 3f out, weakened quickly, tailed off
held up and behind, staying on when not much room over 2f out, switched left, not clear run again over 1f out, strong run inside final furlong, unlucky
Following her narrow success over the unlucky Six Perfections in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Aidan O'Brien's Yesterday is a worthy favourite to give her handler a second Vodafone Oaks in three years after the success of Imagine in 2001 but, at the odds she represents poor value and we prefer the claims of Hi Dubai, with Geminiani expected to run well at a big price. Yesterday has a middle-distance pedigree but she showed so much speed at the Curragh that Mick Kinane's mount couldn't be guaranteed to stay the longer distance of the Oaks. At the odds, she may be worth taking on and there are several who hold solid claims. The Barry Hills-trained Geminiani missed her intended return in the English 1,000 Guineas and was entitled to need the run on her reappearance in York's Lowther Stakes last month. In the circumstances she did well to finish as close to the winner as she did. Geoff Wragg is always a trainer to be wary of, particularly where fillies are concerned and the Newmarket based handler will be hopeful that Santa Sophia can supplement her Lingfield Oaks Trial success with victory in the Vodafone Oaks itself. Sir Michael Stoute has already tasted classic success this season in the 1,000 Guineas and has a solid line through Russian Rhythm to Newmarket fifth Hanami for his representative Halawanda. However, the Aga Khan-owned filly needs to improve on her Cheshire Oaks run if she is to reverse running with Hammiya. The winner there has been supplemented for this at a cost of ¿20,000, so connections will be hopeful of a big run from the daughter of Darshaan. Perhaps the most interesting of all the runners though is Hi Dubai. Balanchine and Moonshell in the 90s and Kazzia last year have all been Godolphin-owned winners of the Vodafone Oaks in recent seasons and Hi Dubai looked potentially an Epsom filly when making a winning return in Newmarket's Pretty Polly Stakes. Although beaten since then in Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp, Saeed bin Suroor's filly did not have the strong pace that she needs that day. That run will have further educated an inexperienced filly though and, as there will almost certainly be a stronger gallop today, Frankie Dettori's mount, who is a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Fantastic Light, is taken to give the boys in blue a fourth Vodafone Oaks triumph.
