‘Taghrooda has the tactical speed’ and can do well at Epsom’s English Oaks

Paul Hanagan and Taghrooda are one of the two favourites, the other being stablemate Tarfasha, for the English Oaks. Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

Angus Gold, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s racing manager, on horses to watch for Sheikh Hamdan over the next three weeks:

Taghrooda, English Oaks, tomorrow

“I can’t sit here and tell you how good Taghrooda is as we don’t really know. She is a filly of enormous promise but one thing we don’t need to worry about is getting the trip. I’d be astonished if she is beaten for lack of stamina ... First time out her speed was a surprise and I didn’t expect her to win. None of us were expecting it. She must have the tactical speed to put her in the right spot.”

Tarfasha, English Oaks, tomorrow

“She’s not as robust as Taghrooda. She is a lighter-bodied filly, which might mean she’s better balanced.”

Soft Falling Rain, Queen Anne Stakes, June 17

“He got a slight temperature coming from Dubai so missed the Lockinge Stakes. He might go a little further now he’s a little older. Before Hong Kong we thought he was beaten in the Godolphin Mile by a high-class horse. Since Variety Club’s win in Hong Kong it looks like he was beaten by the best miler in the world.”

Mukhadram, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, June 18

“It is getting close enough to Ascot now. Either we’ll take him away for a gallop somewhere or, as William Haggas has said, he’ll get him ready at home. He’s not a hard horse to get ready; look at his run in the World Cup after a lay-off. Hopefully, we will have him ready in the best possible shape.”

Aljamaaheer, Diamond Jubilee Stakes, June 21

“I feel sorry for the horse as we tried to see if he got a mile. Of course, he obviously gets it as he was second in the Queen Anne, but we always thought we should try him sprinting. Personally, I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised to see him win a Group 1 sprint over six furlongs. He will run well at Ascot. Dubawi as a sire puts great minds on horses. His progeny are so tough. They can be quite short and neat horses, rather than big, scopey horses. They belie their looks, as does he.”

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