Teofilo Filly Earns Epsom Oaks Berth

UK trainer Mark Johnston will send his consistent 3YO filly Dubai Fountain (Teofilo-Nafura, by Dubawi) directly to the Gr1 Epsom Oaks next month after she won the Listed Cheshire Oaks this week, reports racingpost.com. "It will be straight to Epsom," Johnston said. "We've been saying throughout last year we felt she was an Oaks filly rather than a Guineas filly. (Jockey) Franny (Norton) felt it wasn't her best performance, but it was good enough for me. She failed to win at Group level last year but ran some good races. She finished just behind the Guineas winner over a mile, screaming out for further, so it's got to be the next step." Dubai Fountain has never been worse than fourth in her eight-start career. She won her first two starts as a 2YO, then had five more starts at two, all in stakes company, running second three times and fourth twice. This was her first outing as a 3YO. The Cheshire Oaks runner up Zeyaadah (Tamayuz-Masaafat, by Act One) will also head to the Gr1 Epsom Oaks. Zeyaadah was unbeaten in three starts as a 2YO and this was her first run in her Classic year.