Amelia Earhart foils I’m The One in Cheshire Oaks Amelia Earhart proved too strong for the well-touted I’m The One in giving Aidan O’Brien a 10th victory in the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks. I’m The One had looked the next superstar filly off the Clarehaven production line when making a winning debut at Newbury last month and she was the 6-5 favourite to cement her status as Epsom Oaks favourite in a race the Gosden team memorably won with the brilliant Enable nine years ago. However, the market leader stumbled slightly at the start and did not look entirely in love with the track, whereas Amelia Earhart – fitted with the unusual combination of a hood and blinkers – travelled sweetly throughout in the hands of Ryan Moore. Despite hanging right off the bend, I’m The One was still in the mix at the top of the straight but 13-8 shot Amelia Earhart powered home, with two lengths ultimately the winning margin. An impressed Moore said: “We always thought she was a good filly and she’s by Camelot and from a family we know well. “A mile and a half suited her, she handled the track and handled the ground and did everything right and gave me the perfect feel the whole way. It was the perfect Epsom trial.” Boylesports made Amelia Earhart their 3-1 favourite for the Oaks, usurping I’m The One who was pushed out to 6-1 from 3s for Epsom on the first Friday in June. Paul Smith of owners Coolmore said: “She was always a lovely juvenile and the chance was she was always going to improve for the step up in trip with the pedigree on the page. “Ryan was delighted with her, she’s hit the line strong, has a beautiful action, great temperament and you couldn’t be happier with her. Ryan said she was very straightforward and honest, we’re really pleased. “It’s a huge learning curve coming here and one run at Chester is probably worth two somewhere else. It’s great for that. “She’ll probably go to the Oaks on the back of that. It was always in her pedigree and she’s a beautiful specimen.” I’m The One is trained by John and Thady Gosden, with the former saying: “It was sort of the result I expected really, I flew up with Ryan and he told me the winner is a very good filly. “Ryan sat on the inside and it opened up for her and our filly just showed a lack of experience on just the second run of her life. She blew the bend, but to that extent she has run a lovely race and we are pleased with her. “I did warn everyone that all the hype (after Newbury) was stupid, but no one wanted to listen – or maybe they did as she went to odds-against in the end. “You come to Chester to learn and you learn if you can go to Epsom and you learn about bends, and she certainly learned about that last one – William (Buick) couldn’t get inside and went outside and she went out to the middle of the track and will have learned a lot from it. “You can’t take anything away from the winner and he had a very smooth run through and has the experience, but for a second run of her life I think it was a very solid effort from our filly.” He added: “We will get her home now and see which way we want to play it. We know from this a mile and a half is no problem and she could handle Epsom but there is also the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot. “There is no need to make that decision just yet, she’s in one and the other race hasn’t even closed yet, so we have time.”
