Oaks probable race for Minding Minding appears increasingly likely to race among her own sex at Epsom in the Investec Oaks. Some bookmakers have installed the brilliant 1000 Guineas winner as favourite for the Investec Derby, and trainer Aidan O'Brien is not ruling out taking on the colts at some stage. Connections are undecided as to whether she will firstly take in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 22 before heading to Epsom. O'Brien said: "You can't say for sure that Minding would get a mile and a half. It is not guaranteed by any means. There has to be a question mark about stamina with her. "I would imagine, thinking the way lads think, they would prefer to go gently and find out about that and go against the fillies first, then go on if she proves it. "Nothing is written in stone, but I would think there is a possibility she might go to the Curragh (Irish 1,000 Guineas) then the Oaks, or not go to the Curragh and straight to the Oaks. I would say there is a definite eye on the Oaks. "If she goes to the Oaks she will be the number one." O'Brien retains maximum faith in Derby candidate US Army Ranger. The Galileo colt did not impress everyone when he only defeated stablemate Port Douglas by a short head in the Chester Vase last week. O'Brien said: "I know everyone is knocking this horse, but they shouldn't be. "I was very happy with it (Chester) as often we have one horse that everyone latches on to. "If we hadn't have run Port Douglas at Chester, the other horse (US Army Ranger) would have been an eight-length winner and would be a very short price for the Derby. "At Chester he had to learn more in one race that he should be learning in two or three races. "He's the horse that's probably open to the most improvement and he'll now have an easy enough time before the Derby. "I'm just going to hope he's not too babyish and will be able to take it."
