Wednesday 12 May 2010

York Preview


Aviate bids to give owner Khalid Abdullah and trainer Henry Cecil another string to their Investec Oaks bow when she lines up for the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York.

The Dansili filly defends her 100% record as she tries to go one better than her stablemate Timepiece, who was runner-up in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on Saturday.

She steps up to an extended mile and a quarter after two wins over a mile as Cecil seeks a ninth victory in the Group Three contest.

Racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: "We like her, but this is very much a fact-finding mission. She has entries pretty much ranging from a mile to a mile and a half and hopefully this race will show us which path we need to follow."

Aidan O'Brien is hoping Cabaret can steal the show as he seeks to win the Musidora for the first time.

She looked a bright prospect when landing a Group Three contest at Leopardstown in July, but was out of luck when she was tailed off in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in October.

O'Brien said: "Her saddled slipped in the Boussac and it was a non-event. She is just ready to start, and if she runs a nice race then we have something to look forward to."

Bikini Babe ran in both the UAE 1000 Guineas and Oaks in Dubai during the winter before returning to England, but Mark Johnston was not overjoyed with her performance when fourth behind Chabal in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown.

"I wasn't entirely pleased with her run at Sandown. It could have been a bit better, though she was up against colts. Interestingly, the handicapper dropped her 2lb for that," said the Middleham trainer.

"She's going into this purely on paper with a bit to find. She's done very little wrong, she's a progressive filly and I've had the Musidora in mind all winter. A couple of the Oaks trials have been easier, but this is the race I've aimed for so I decided to stick with it."