Montjeu filly 8/1 for G1 Oaks glory

19th May 2008

Montjeu's record of two wins in the last three runnings of the G1 Derby is simply outstanding and he has four chances of adding to that at Epsom on Saturday.

The Meon Valley Stud-bred Alessandro Volta (3c Montjeu-Ventura Highway, by Machiavellian) led home a 1-2 for the brilliant sire in the G3 Lingfield Derby Trial when beating King Of Rome (3c Montjeu-Amizette, by Forty Niner).

The duo, both trained by Aidan O'Brien, are possibles for Epsom as are their stablemates Frozen Fire (3c Montjeu-Flamingo Sea, by Woodman), an eye-catching runner-up in the G2 Dante Stakes at York) and Washington Irving (3c Montjeu-Shouk, by Shirley Heights).

In the G1 Juddmonte Oaks, the product of Barry Hurley's first venture into breeding - the Roger Charlton-trained filly Clowance (3f Montjeu-Freni, by Sternkoenig) - is set to line up. She looks to be a live contender following her success in the Listed Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial at Newbury and the 38,000gns she cost ‘in utero' with her dam Freni is now looking a real bargain.