Taghrooda took the 2014 Investec Oaks in style, providing a 1st win in the race for trainer John Gosden and jockey Paul Hanagan.
The bay filly ran strongly throughout the mile-and-a-half contest, before picking up 2 furlongs out and winning by 3¾ lengths.
Taghrooda was originally joint favourite, but drifted to 5-1 behind Marvellous, trained by Aidan O’Brien. Marvellous finished 6th.
It was a 1st Classic victory for Paul Hanagan.
“It feels great. It’s what I’ve worked hard for,” he said.
Owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum was celebrating a 1-2, when his filly Tarfasha finished 2nd for trainer Dermot Weld.
The front-running Volume, ridden by last year’s winning jockey, Richard Hughes, was 3rd.
Taghrooda is now 3 from 3 starts, winning her 1st race in September at Newmarket.
She then took the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month (4 May) by an impressive 6 lengths. Going into the Oaks she was expected by connections to handle the step up in trip thanks to her pedigree.
Her father is 2009 Derby winner Sea The Stars while her mother, Ezima, won over 1m2f-1m6f — so her breeding was perfect for the 1m4f Oaks.
And the 3-year-old appeared to handle the distance and unique undulations of the Epsom track perfectly.
The 2014 Investec Oaks was run in memory of Sir Henry Cecil, who won the race 8 times. The trainer died of cancer last year.
Don’t miss an interview with Oaks-winning trainer John Gosden in the current issue of H&H (5 June).
Watch H&H’s exclusive Epsom course walk with former jockey Michael Hills.
For a full report on the Investec Derby Festival see the 12 June issue of H&H.
Pictures by Bill Selwyn.
