Beckett hoping Secret Gesture is 'special'

Ralph Beckett's only British Classic victory was one of the bigger surprises in recent Investec Oaks history, but no-one will be rubbing their eyes in disbelief should Secret Gesture repeat the feat at Epsom on Friday

The Hampshire trainer's standing in the game since Look Here's 33/1 success in 2008 has risen to the extent he has two viable contenders, with leading light Secret Gesture ably supported by Talent.

Parallels will obviously be drawn between the first-named filly and Look Here, who was beaten in the Lingfield Oaks trial, while Secret Gesture won last month's heat by an amazing 10 lengths.

Seen twice last season, the daughter of Galileo has long impressed at home and Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing announced they had purchased a 50% share of her only this week.

Although breeders Newsells Park Stud retain an interest, Secret Gesture will carry the colours which gave the Sheikh a first Classic win with Just The Judge in last Sunday's Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh.

"We properly realised what we had with Secret Gesture after she won her maiden at Newbury," said Beckett.

"She's quite a narrow, light-framed filly and we hadn't done a lot with her. But she's been straightforward all of her life.

"Look Here got into a flap in the paddock before she won the Oaks but this filly should be fine. I hope she's special but I'm not brave enough to say that just yet."

Jim Crowley gets the leg-up and he is relishing the opportunity to ride a favourite in a Classic.

He said: "Obviously she's favourite, she won her race at Lingfield very well. You'd have to be fearful of Moth and Liber Nauticus but I wouldn't swap her for those two.

"You need a bit of luck around there, obviously, but I'm looking forward to it.

"Her work is effortless at home and her last two wins have been the same which is why she is held in such high regard.

"She's by a really good stallion (Galileo) who is producing the goods and there'll be more to come from her.

"It looks like the ground is also going our way."

Talent is clear second-string but has done very little wrong, losing her maiden tag at Kempton last September and putting down a marker in the first recognised Oaks Trial, the Pretty Polly at Newmarket. That event produced Oaks heroine Ouija Board in 2004.

"She has done very well since the Pretty Polly Stakes, both physically and in her work, and if she was my only runner I'd be looking forward to the race," Beckett said.

"She's well balanced, will handle the track and her pedigree says she will stay."

Secret Gesture's Lingfield rout displaced the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Liber Nauticus from the head of the market as she had not yet emerged from her stable.

Ballymacoll Stud's home-bred had looked one of the brightest juvenile prospects on her only start last autumn at Goodwood.

Stoute elected for his preferred trial, the Musidora Stakes at York, and while Liber Nauticus did not win by a wide margin, she gave the impression of having plenty more improvement to come.

"She's a fine, big athlete who does very little at home," said Stoute.

"I thought in the Musidora she did well. She wasn't spectacular, but that was never going to be her style.

"Mentally it will have sharpened her up for the Oaks and we go there with a good chance."

Gertrude Versed's half-sister Gertrude Bell finished fourth in the 2010 Oaks and has reasonably similar credentials.

Trained by John Gosden, as well as being owned and bred by his wife Rachel Hood, she ran through the winter on the all-weather but earned her place when second to Banoffee at Chester.

Jockey William Buick said: "She ran a nice trial in the Cheshire Oaks.

"She's very tough, she's got a good level of ability but whether she'll be able to win or not, I'm not sure.

"She's very straightforward and I think she'll be able to handle the track."

Gosden is similarly realistic in the merit of his charge's form so far.

He said: "Gertrude Versed has been in good form since Chester and I think the winner of that race (Banoffee) was rightly supplemented for the Oaks - it is not a decision they would have made lightly. It looks to be solid form.

"There are some high-quality fillies in the race on Friday and I think the track should be no problem for our filly - there is only one way to find out and that is by running."

Harry Dunlop will use the Epsom experience of Johnny Murtagh for Roz, who has exceeded outsider status in the past but must step up from her 10th in the 1000 Guineas.

"They went a bit too quick for her at Newmarket and I'm hoping the longer distance in the Oaks will suit her," said Dunlop.

"It was still an encouraging run at Newmarket but going that half a stride slower will give us a chance to get involved.

"I don't think the course will hold any fears for her. I have been doing some work with her here on undulating gallops and she has obviously run at the Rowley Mile with that dip in there.

"I know that's nothing like Epsom and, although we are trying to do everything possible, we won't know until she tries it.

"I think the Oaks is very open. Obviously, there are the top four or five but the likes of ourselves have every chance to be there."

Michael Bell has already won a Derby with Motivator and an Oaks with Sariska, so should have a good idea of what it takes to win a Classic.

He runs both Madame Defarge, the mount of Tom Queally and third in the Pretty Polly on her reappearance, and The Lark, related to Sariska and ridden by Jamie Spencer.

"Madame Defarge has done very well physically from two to three," Bell told At The Races.

"She's a daughter of Motivator from the family of User Friendly so she's bred to act around Epsom and bred to relish the trip.

"She ticks a lot of boxes in that regard.

"The trip will bring about some improvement and so will easier ground as, in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, she didn't come down the dip at all there and also we'd done very little fast work with her.

"It's not a particular surprise Jamie rides The Lark as Tom Queally won on Madame Defarge at Yarmouth, and Jamie won an Oaks for Lady Bamford on Sariska.

"She's from Sariska's family and I don't know if he really had the choice, it just sort of happened. There's not a lot between them at home.

"They'll both come on for their trials. The Lark had only done three bits of fast work prior to Newbury and blew for 25 minutes afterwards and looks a leaner, meaner filly as a result.

"If you wore optimistic glasses you can make a case for both of them, but it's a tough ask."