Tweet epsom derby festival 2013/ Talent Shows the Way in Investec Oaks 31/05/13 1 Talent 20/1 2 Secret Gesture 3/1 3 The Lark 16/1 11 ran Distances: 3l, l, hd TIME 2m 42.00s (slow by 7.20s) Hampshire trainer Ralph Beckett saddled 20/1 winner Talent plus the 3/1 runner-up Secret Gesture in today’s Investec Oaks. Talent Racehorse Photos The pair were separated by three and three-quarter lengths, with another three-quarters of a lengtack to third-placed The Lark. The 5/2 favourite Moth finished fourth. Talent became a second British Classic winner for champion jockey Richard Hughes just a few weeks after his initial win at the highest level on King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes].” Investec Oaks (Fillies' Group 1) 426,250 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f 10y, Class 1 11 ran Going: Good to Soft Position Horse Trainer Jockey Weight Starting Price Beaten Distance 1 Talent R M Beckett R Hughes 9st 0lbs 20 - 1 Winner 2 Secret Gesture R M Beckett Jim Crowley 9st 0lbs 3 - 1 3 3/4 lengths 3 The Lark M L W Bell J P Spencer 9st 0lbs 16 - 1 3/4 length 4 Moth A P O'Brien J P O'Brien 9st 0lbs 5 - 2 Head 5 Liber Nauticus Sir Michael Stoute R L Moore 9st 0lbs 4 - 1 3 1/2 lengths 6 Miss You Too D M Simcock I Mongan 9st 0lbs 40 - 1 3 3/4 lengths 7 Banoffee H Morrison K Fallon 9st 0lbs 7 - 1 2 1/4 lengths 8 Gertrude Versed J H M Gosden William Buick 9st 0lbs 25 - 1 1 1/2 length 9 Roz H J L Dunlop J P Murtagh 9st 0lbs 40 - 1 3/4 length 10 Say A P O'Brien J A Heffernan 9st 0lbs 12 - 1 1 1/4 length 11 Madame Defarge M L W Bell T P Queally 9st 0lbs 16 - 1 9 lengths

HUGHES HAS GOT TALENT

A month ago champion jockey Richard Hughes had never won a British Classic but he has two to his name after winning the Investec Oaks aboard Talent, following on from Sky Lantern’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas triumph.

“She’s very talented! It’s absolutely great and I’ve had plenty of practice at not winning these races,” said Hughes. “But it was a bit of a surprise after I rode her at Ralph’s last week. To be honest I’d never been so disappointed after getting off a horse. ittedly she’d only worked over five and a half furlongs, which isn’t her trip but they usually give you some sort of feeling and I got no feel at all.

“Today she had ear plugs in, which I pulled out at the start and she went down there nice and cool. Ralph didn’t tie me down to instructions and said to do what I wanted.

“I decided to drop her out because she is a bit small to get in a barging match and it was the right thing to do because they were going very quick to the top of the hill.

“I was stuck in by a big filly that (Tom) Queally was on and he let me out which was good of him, because he could have really nailed me. It shows there are some good guys in racing.

“She was very relaxed going to the top of the hill and then came on the bridle again on the descent. I knew I’d win five out. Joseph (O’Brien on Moth) came out at the three pole and I said to him to go first and I’d follow!”

Trainer Ralph Beckett, who also won the 2008 Investec Oaks with Look Here, said: “I’d never thought I’d win one Oaks but to win two is extraordinary, let alone have the first and second. It means everything, I’m not Aidan O’Brien and I’d probably only have two runners in Classics in a year.

“I feel for Jim (Crowley) and I think the last horse to win from stall one, where his mount Secret Gesture was drawn, was Bireme (Talent’s great granddam). How ironic is that?

“This filly showed a lot of speed at two but Secret Gesture’s homework has always been in a different league. I was delighted with her performance and Jim rode the race we planned, he was just not able to get off the fence. I think the two fillies will have to meet again in the Irish Oaks.”

Talent is the fourth successive generation of her family to run in the Investec Oaks. Her dam Prowess was ninth in 2009, her granddam Yawl was 12th in 1993 and her great granddam Bireme won the 1980 race in the colours of the late Dick Hollingsworth, whose nephew Mark Dixon tly-bred and owns Talent.

“I was here 33 years ago for Bireme and I did have a feeling today and Ralph didn’t put me off,” said Dixon. “Bireme didn’t do much as a mare and Yawl has been pretty useless, she usually aborts her foals. Prowess is really the only one of any use I’ve had.

“I know nothing about horses and I’m only in it to try and keep the family going. I’m not big into it and we’re down to about half a dozen mares now. I have them with James (Rowsell at Ashbrittle Stud) and with Luke Lillingston at Mount Coote Stud in Ireland.