Impressive Blue Bunting offers Godolphin an Oaks opportunity

The 1000 Guineas and Irish Oaks heroine, trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni and ridden by Frankie Dettori, is one of two representatives for Sheikh Mohammed’s operation along with Rumh from Saeed bin Suroor’s stable.

Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has three interesting contenders among the 15 left in the Group One race – Misty For Me, Spin and Wonder Of Wonders.

The most intriguing is Misty For Me. Though a disappointing fifth to proud Yorkshireman William Haggas’s Dancing Rain in the Epsom Oaks, the three-year-old won the Pretty Polly Stakes on her latest start, beating the highly-rated Midday by an emphatic six lengths.

If Midday wins the Juddmonte International on Wednesday for Sir Henry Cecil, there’s every chance that Misty For Me will challenge Blue Bunting for favouritism.

Wonder Of Wonders, on the other hand, was third behind Blue Bunting in the Irish Oaks, and the second and fourth that day, Jim Bolger’s Banimpire and Jessica Harrington’s Laughing Lashes, could be York-bound.

Sir Michael Stoute has won this race eight times and he relies on the six-year-old Crystal Capella.

Snow Fairy, the 2010 Oaks victor and runner-up 12 months ago to the aforementioned Midday, could try again for Ed Dunlop, although she too holds an entry for the Juddmonte.

In other York news, Godolphin have supplemented the Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Gamilati for the Jaguar Cars Lowther Stakes on Thursday.

Mahmood Al Zarooni’s filly had finished second on her first two starts but looked good when taking the Newmarket Group Two last month under that man Dettori. That win means she has to carry a 3lb penalty, as does the Richard Hannon-trained Best Terms who is unbeaten in three starts.

Shumoos, second to Best Terms at Royal Ascot in the Queen Mary Stakes and third to Gamilati at Newmarket, has been left in by Manton trainer Brian Meehan.

The richest Group Two race for two-year-old fillies, Angels Will Fall could bid to be a last Group-race winner for trainer Barry Hills before he hands over his licence to son Charlie.

The daughter of Acclamation made it two from two when winning the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot last month.

Others among the 15 confirmations are O’Brien’s After, David Wachman’s Fire Lily and the Kevin Ryan-trained Inetrobil.

Elsewhere, Malton trainer Richard Fahey has indicated that Barefoot Lady – runner-up to the William Buick-inspired Joviality in May’s Musidora Stakes – will contest Friday’s Strensall Stakes.

A doughty performer, Barefoot Lady has yet to win since landing Newmarket’s Nell Gwyn Stakes in April, though the filly was a good fifth in the 1000 Guineas.