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David Egan is confident in Al Husn's chances in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday. Despite missing her regular rider Jim Crowley, who is serving a 20-day ban, Egan is excited to take up the mount on this talented Shadwell filly.
Egan previously rode Al Husn to victory in a fillies' handicap at Newmarket last October, just before Crowley took over. Since then, the four-year-old trained by Roger Varian has shown impressive form, winning at Listed, Group 3, and even Group 1 level.
Al Husn Faces Mile Milestone
This upcoming race will be a new challenge for Al Husn as she steps up to a mile and a half for the first time in the £500,000 event. However, she enters the race as the highest-rated filly in a field of ten runners. Among her competitors are the Irish Oaks one-two, Savethelastdance and Bluestocking, who will receive a 9lb weight advantage due to being younger.
All eyes will be on Al Husn, as she aims to continue her winning streak and prove herself over this longer distance. With David Egan in the saddle, she certainly has a fighting chance in the prestigious Yorkshire Oaks.
Egan has a domestic strike-rate of 31 per cent for Shadwell in the past three years and said: “Al Husn is a lovely ride to get and I’m very thankful to the Shadwell team for putting me on her. She’s a very straightforward and talented filly.
“The step up in trip shouldn’t be a problem for her as she’s very laid-back and I’m looking forward to it. Any Group 1 is going to be a hard race but she’s got one under her belt and she has as good a chance as any.”
Modaara, Al Husn's companion in the stables, is determined to regain her winning form in the prestigious Listed British EBF and Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes on the second day of the event. Despite finishing last among five contenders in the Lancashire Oaks back in June, Modaara was only defeated by a mere four lengths. Now, with a renewed spirit, she enters the race as the 5-1 second favorite according to William Hill, trailing behind the promising Sea Theme, trained by William Haggas, who stands at 9-2 odds.
Egan said,“I hope she’s better than she showed at Haydock and she’ll need to improve in this nice race. York is a lovely track for her, and if she puts her right foot forward, she should definitely be competitive at this level.”
Akhu Najla was purchased by KHK Racing for a whopping 2.7 million guineas at the Tattersalls Book 1 sale in 2020. After a long break of 308 days, he made a promising comeback with a fourth-place finish at Ascot last month. Jockey Egan is optimistic about the potential of this lightly raced 4YO and believes he can deliver a strong performance in the Clipper Handicap, where he is currently the favorite at odds of 6-1.
Reflecting on Akhu Najla's previous race, Egan stated, "It was a nice comeback run, and he finished strongly. I anticipate further improvement from him. He has been allocated a favorable draw in stall four, and the track should suit his running style. He's a talented horse."
Thursday's televised races on ITV include the prestigious Yorkshire Oaks, a race that has seen past champions like Enable, Love, and Alpinista in recent years. The card kicks off with the Sky Bet Lowther, featuring Relief Rally, who triumphed in the Weatherbys Super Sprint. Viewers can catch the entire meeting on Racing TV.