Henry Cecil maintained his almost vice-like grip on the Epsom Oaks when Ramruma gave the Newmarket trainer a remarkable sixth victory in the race yesterday.
Ridden by Kieren Fallon, the Arab-owned filly proved much too tough a stayer for her nine opponents, taking the initiative at the three-furlong pole and beating the outsider Noushkey by three lengths with five lengths back to the favourite Zahrat Dubai.
Aidan O'Brien had disrupted the Cecil Oaks flow with Shahtoush last year but this time, the Ballydoyle trained Sunspangled and Crystal Downs could not get in a blow and finished sixth and eighth respectively.
"She didn't really handle the track and didn't come down the hill well," reported Sunspangled's rider Michael Kinane.
It didn't matter to Cecil who, with typical understatement, said afterwards: "I am very lucky to have the fillies, aren't I!" Luck however doesn't come close to explaining how Cecil has completed the 1,000 Guineas-Oaks double four times.
Oh So Sharp did the double by herself in 1985 but six different fillies have lifted either the 1,000 Guineas or the Oaks for Cecil in 1996, 1997 and this year.
"It's important to have the material but I do like fillies and I find them fascinating to train," Cecil said by way of explanation. The bad news for home trainers is that the Irish Oaks is on Cecil's agenda for Ramruma followed by the Yorkshire Oaks and the St Leger.
Possibly even worse news was Fallon's assertion that "you never know how good she is because she only just does enough. I didn't think we were going very quickly so as I knew she'd stay, I thought I would make it a test. But my job is easy, it's the boss who has the hard job."
Michael Jarvis was very happy with the 33 to 1 second Noushkey who could also travel to the Curragh for the Oaks but Zahrat Dubai will not attempt any revenge.
"It's quite simple, she didn't stay and a mile and a quarter is clearly her limit," said the Godolphin spokesman Simon Crisford.
Godolphin had better luck in the Coronation Cup when team tactics helped Daylami to beat Cecil's warm favourite Royal Anthem by three quarters of a length.
Daylami's stablemate Central Park led the field to the straight but at a modest gallop. That was bad news for most of the rest but not Daylami whose best form has been at 10 furlongs - or had been because the grey didn't flinch an inch under a strong Frankie Dettori drive to lead close home.
"Daylami is very tough, has a big heart and is a wonderful battler. They went the right sort of pace for him and he had something left in the tank," said a thrilled Sheikh Mohammed.
The Eclipse is next for Daylami and a tilt at the King George is not being ruled out either. In contrast, Cecil reported of Royal Anthem: "He's run a great race but they just went too slowly for him early on." Too slowly for him. Maybe Cecil should have run a filly!
