Picture: I’m The One sauntered to a stunning victory on debut at Newbury and made headlines in many UK publications and newspaper racing pages
The Gaynor Rupert homebred Sea The Stars filly I’m The One has been installed as Epsom Oaks favourite after a stunning debut over one mile and two furlongs at Newbury on Friday. She pulled six lengths clear of the opposition in effortless fashion under William Buick in the Maiden Stakes event.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly is out of the German-bred Camelot mare Sunny Queen, whom Gaynor Rupert’s UK-based Cayton Park Stud purchased just before she won the Gr 1 Grosser Preis von Bayern over 2400m in Germany in November 2020.
Sea The Stars has German blood in him via his dam Urban Sea, who could claim to be the greatest broodmare of all time considering she is also the dam of Galileo and others, so the cross with this German-bred mare was interesting and looks to have turned out superbly.
I’m The One started as even money favourite.
She had obviously been showing a lot at home, but the win was particularly impressive because she had to be used up early to overcome a wide draw, a tough ask for a first-timer.
However, she won as if she had been dropped into the race at the three furlong mark.
At The Races reported on the race:
I’m The One proved appropriately named after inspiring Classic dreams with a thoroughly impressive debut at Newbury.
Sent off the even-money favourite for the Dreweatts Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, she always looked a cut above her rivals as she careered away to a commanding six-length victory in the hands of William Buick.
An Oaks trial looks the next port of call for John and Thady Gosden’s talented daughter of Sea The Stars who was made a 10-1 shot by both BetVictor and Paddy Power for Epsom glory on the first Friday in June.
Thady Gosden said: “It was her first time out and the ground was in perfect condition for her. She travelled smoothly through the race there and William had a wide draw so made up his mind to go forward early on. She picked up pretty smartly when asked.
“She’s a very smartly-bred filly and always looked a nice filly last year even though we never quite managed to get her to the track. She has been pleasing through the spring into this and it looked a solid field and it was a pleasing performance.
“She’s a big scopey filly who has always had a bit of quality about her and has been delighting in her home work.
“She wouldn’t think she would have a problem stretching out to a mile and a half and of course she has a good turn of foot as she’s shown today.”
He went on: “A trial for the Oaks would be the obvious next step and we’ll see how she comes out of this and there’s a couple of options.
“Very possibly we could go to York (for the Musidora, May 13) and there is the mile-and-a-quarter race back here as well (Childwickbury Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes, May 16). But we will need to discuss it with Mrs Rupert (of owners Cayton Park Stud) and make a decision from there.
“It was nice for her to win today and there is no reason to rush into a decision.
“She hasn’t done much wrong there today, William was really pleased with her and hopefully she can take another step forward.”
Blessed Voyager could have unlocked an exciting journey for connections after claiming the opening Dubai Duty Free EBF Maiden Stakes.
Clearly ready for action pre-race showing plenty of zest in the parade ring, he showcased plenty of ability too once the gates opened to come home a head clear of Harry Knows at odds of 11-1.
Trainer Ralph Beckett will now look to garner further experience at six furlongs, which could then signal a Royal Ascot bid.
Beckett said: “We haven’t had too many forward ones other than this fellow and the one that ran in the Brocklesby and it’s nice to get off the mark with them.
“He was pretty badly behaved in the paddock and he kicked our travelling head girl so it was nice to see him behave in the race.
“He will always like a bit of juice in the ground given his page and we’ll bear that in mind and he’ll go six next time.
“I don’t think we saw him as a Royal Ascot type before today, but we’ll see how he goes under a penalty and go from there.”
Elsewhere on the card, Dominic Ffrench Davis’ Call My Bluff put himself in the picture for a Chester Cup tilt with a 40-1 win in the cityam.com Handicap.
The trainer then made it a big-priced double when Mirabeau (11-1) successfully dropped in trip to win the Dubai Duty Free Handicap.
Meanwhile, Andrew Balding’s Stellar Sunrise booked his ticket to the Jersey Stakes at Royal ascot with a stylish success in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Handicap.
Balding said: “He’s a handy horse who didn’t enjoy the ground in the Horris Hill but before that had been very progressive. He’s got a good season ahead I hope and that was a good effort off a high mark (95).
“He’s probably ruled himself out of the Britannia so we might have to look at the Jersey which will be a big step up but that’s where we are at with him.”
