In the British Stallion Studs EBF Totepool Nottinghamshire Oaks Stakes (4.20) at Nottingham on Wednesday, Dream Child failed by just a neck to overhaul Miss Marjurie on her return to turf at Goodwood last month and may be capable of further progress. Miss Marjurie franked the form when edging out Wonderstruck in the Group 3 888Sport Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock on Saturday so, with nothing to find with any of her rivals, bar Pleasant Valley, on official ratings, Charlie Appleby’s four-year-old looks the one to be on.
The daughter of Pivotal drops back two furlongs or so in distance on rain-softened ground, but she’s won three times over 1 mile 1½ furlongs at Wolverhampton and ran well enough on her one attempt on soft going to suggest it won’t be a problem. In fact, she may be better suited by the prevailing conditions than her nearest rival, Pleasant Valley, who’s been campaigned almost exclusively on good to firm or good going. The pair has 5lb and 4lb in hand of their rivals, respectively, and look the two on which to concentrate in any case.
Selection: Nottingham 4.20 Dream Child to win