Vociferous Marina has big footsteps to follow in should she land Wednesday’s Tattersalls Musidora Stakes on the first day of York’s Dante meeting.
Trainer Jim Bolger’s three previous Musidora winners – Condessa (1981,) Give Thanks (1983) and Lush Lashes (2008) – all proceeded to Group One success later in their careers.
Vociferous Marina was a 20-1 shot when landing the Salsabil Stakes at Navan last month but is rated the main threat to the likely odds on favourite Shutter Speed.
John Gosden’s filly is 7-1 for the Epsom Oaks but is also in the French Oaks although significant morning rain at York could yet scupper Shutter Speed’s chance to test her classic credentials.
“The rain is not very satisfactory but it is our intention to run. She did win on her debut at Yarmouth when it was pretty soft ground so she can act on it but whether she can show what we know she is capable of is another thing,” said the Juddmonte spokesman, Teddy Grimthorpe.
“We’ll have to play it by ear but we want to run as there’s nowhere else for her to go. Hopefully it will provide us with a good indication of where she should go. She has the option of the Oaks at Epsom and the Prix de Diane was well,” he added.
A total of 11 horses will line up in Thursday's Dante Stakes, the final significant Derby trial before Epsom.
They include Aidan O’Brien’s Exemplar and the Ballysax winner Rekindling who will represent the champion trainer’s son, Joseph.
Exemplar, a half brother to the English 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks winner Blue Bunting, hasn’t run since finishing third to Capri and Yucatan in last year’s Beresford Stakes.
Rekindling beat the subsequent Derrinstown winner Douglas Macarthur in last month’s Ballysax. The home team is headed by Cracksman and Crystal Ocean.
