Magical and Sea Of Class pulled out of Investec Oaks
Wild Illusion has been installed as new favourite.
NEW FAVOURITE. Wild Illusion now tops the boards following the scratching of Magical and Sea Of Class from tomorrow’s Investec Oaks in the UK.
Epson – Leading Oaks hopes Magical and Sea Of Class will miss the race after they were not among nine declarations for the Investec sponsored classic at Epsom tomorrow.
Magical suffered a knock when cantering on Tuesday that cast doubt over her participation in the Oaks. A Group 2 scorer last year, she had been a general 11-2 second favourite for the race.
William Haggas and connections of Sea Of Class, a ready winner of a Newbury Listed contest earlier this month, left the call until Wednesday morning but decided against a Classic bid.
The daughter of Sea The Stars was previously vying for second favouritism at around 6-1.
The final field of nine, including five runners for Aidan O’Brien, is Bye Bye Baby, Ejtyah, Flattering, Forever Together, Give And Take, I Can Fly, Magic Wand, Perfect Clarity and Wild Illusion.
BoyleSports responded by cutting Wild Illusion, fourth in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, to 5-2 favourite (from 3-1), with Magic Wand 4-1 and Forever Together third in the market at 5-1.
Cracksman tops the bill in the six-runner Investec Coronation Cup tomorrow, in which Barsanti and Cliffs Of Moher are the absentees from the original entries. Hawkbill and Idaho are the likeliest challengers to John Gosden’s son of Frankel, who returned to action with victory in the Prix Ga- nay last month.
There is an international flavour to the race with last year’s German Derby winner Windstoss running for Markus Klug.
Klug said on At The Races: “He’s one of my best horses and we thought it was worth trying him at Epsom.
“We would be very happy if he was to finish in the placings. Cracksman is a wonderful horse and the best in Europe at this trip, so it will be very hard to beat him, but I’m hopeful Windstoss will run well.
“He likes soft ground and stays well, so conditions are in his favour.”
Windstoss is a 33-1 chance while Cracksman heads the betting at a best price 4-11 with Betfred. – Racingpost.com
