Midday definitely falls into that category and the fact she is trained by Henry Cecil is a tip in itself.
Sariska is favourite across the board for Friday’s Oaks at Epsom (4.05), with Sportingbet’s 11/4 the best on offer at the time of writing, but based on what she’s achieved on the racetrack she’s way too short in my opinion and looks a favourite to take on.
Of course, she might well improve on what she's shown so far, but she needs to. Her Musidora win, while visually impressive, was run in a slower time than one of the handicaps on the same York card and the horse she beat into second, Star Ruby, wasn't even considered good enough to be entered for Epsom. There's also a question mark over stamina as she's by Nunthorpe winner Pivotal, and I doubt he's sired many 1m4f winners let alone Classic winners over that distance.
Second favourite Rainbow View (10/3 William Hill) has more chance of staying on breeding and the chances are she'll improve for the step up in trip. However, her bubble was well and truly burst in the 1000 Guineas, for which she was a red hot favourite, and it remains to be seen whether she's as good as she was last season. Besides, the top two-year-olds rarely win the Oaks, with late maturing types faring best.
MIDDAY definitely falls into that category and the fact she is trained by Henry Cecil is a tip in itself. The great man has sent out eight Oaks winners in his illustrious career from just 17 runners, so when he says "I wouldn't swap mine for anything else" you've got to stand up and take notice. She too is by a sprinter in Oasis Dream, but there is plenty of stamina on her dam's side and she certainly wasn't stopping over 1m3f last time when running away with the Lingfield Oaks Trial. And we know she acts on the track having finished runner up to the colts in Blue Riband trial on her reappearance, so what's not to like?
Well, since tipping her up here at 6/1 ante post (hope you are on!), her price has shrunk to a best-priced 7/2 (bet365), which does a bit on the skinny side now. Therefore, if you're not already on and want to back one at an each-way price, I suggest you have a few quid on WADAAT at a tasty 33/1 with Ladbrokes.
Forget her running behind Midday at Lingfield as her French jockey was unfamiliar with the track and rode her too far off the pace. Instead, concentrate on her cracking effort in the Italian Oaks last time out when just pipped by Night Of Magic, with the rest of the 18 runner field well strung out.
Her trainer, Clive Brittain, reckons she would have fought back if the winner had come sooner that day and, while he does have a reputation for tilting at windmills (an undeserved one in my opinion), he should know a good filly when he sees one as he trained the great Pebbles and sent out User Friendly to win this race in 1992.
Recommended Bet:
Wadaat 1pt each-way @ 33/1 Ladbrokes
Already advised - Midday 2pts @ 6/1