Kieren Fallon can scupper Frankie Dettori's hopes of winning the Vodafone Oaks by taking the fillies' Classic at Epsom tomorrow on Ouija Board.
The Ed Dunlop-trained three-year-old is one of only seven runners in this £350,000 showpiece race, the joint smallest field for the contest in 100 years.
Only four trainers are represented tomorrow and Aidan O'Brien and Saeed Bin Suroor both saddle two runners.
The latter has Sundrop, runner-up to Attraction in the 1,000 Guineas, and Punctilious, all-the-way winner of the Musidora Stakes at York last month.
Dettori, having had the choice of the pair, has come down in favour of Punctilious.
Fallon is a serious threat to Dettori's chances. Ouija Board, was an impressive six-length winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on her reappearance.
She will need to improve again to win tomorrow, but there is every reason to believe that Ouija Board is a progressive performer and there is certainly nothing wrong with the form of the Dunlop horses. She must have a major chance in a small, but fascinating race.
Tomorrow's Epsom card is strongly supported by the £250,000 Vodafone Coronation Cup, in which Magistretti is worth more than a passing look on his seasonal reappearance.
Winner of the Dante Stakes at York last season and runner-up to the mighty Falbrav in the International on Knavesmire in August, Magistretti has every chance of finding further progress this year. Johnny Murtagh takes the mount on Neville Callaghan's stable star.
At Thirsk tomorrow, Smiddy Hill can supplement her recent York win in the European Breeders' Fund Novice Stakes.
Robin Bastiman's speedy filly made every yard of the running before coming home with five lengths to spare on Knavesmire last Friday. She faces stronger opposition here, but is napped to produce an encore. Royston Ffrench again has the mount.
Epsom
1.45 Bishops Court, 2.15 Dumaran, 2.50 Danelor, 3.30 Magistretti, 4.10 Ouija Board, 4.50 Gonfilia, 5.25 Mandobi.
Thirsk
2.05 Smiddy Hill (Nap), 2.40 Bettys Pride, 3.15 True, 3.50 Carte Noire, 4.35 Red Forest, 5.10 Ablaj, 5.40 Shamrock Tea.
Tomorrow's other meetings are at Goodwood, Haydock and Wolverhampton.
Updated: 12:02 Thursday, June 03, 2004
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