Bright Diamond aiming to sparkle in Oaks Trial test

Classic hopes on the line at Lingfield.

Connections of Bright Diamond have no qualms about switching the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes from Lingfield’s turf track to the all-weather surface, following a midweek deluge.

The daughter of US sire El Kabeir takes on eight rivals in the mile-and-a-half Listed contest on her seasonal debut, with plenty of camp confidence following her placed effort in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket when last seen in October.

Trained by Karl Burke, Bright Diamond ran three times last summer, scorching to a nine-length victory on her seven-furlong Newmarket debut in August before being placed in Group Three company at Goodwood.

Thoughts of running in the Musidora at York next week were shelved primarily because of the prospect of easy ground.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, said: “The Musidora looked a bit tougher. We thought about it, but who’s to say what the ground is going to be like up at York?

“She doesn’t want it heavy and Karl wants to get her on the track. He said she is working well, but he needed to get a race into her.

“She ran well when third in the Fillies’ Mile and she’s a good-moving filly, who has improved physically over the winter and she is better on better ground.

“She stays well and she has wintered very well. Karl is very happy with her.

“When she won first time, she caught us all a bit by surprise as she streaked clear. She doesn’t always show at home what she does on the track, which is a good thing.”

Perfect Prophet also had three runs last season, winning a mile all-weather novice at Kempton before finishing third in the May Hill at Doncaster on good to soft ground.

“She was doing all her best work at the end in the May Hill,” said her trainer, Ed Walker.

“We toyed with the idea of running her over 10 furlongs in April in France, but I just felt she needed the extra distance, hence we opted for this over the Musidora, even though I don’t think the sharp nature of the track will play to her strengths at all.

“It’s a weaker race than the Musidora and a better trip for her and if she can run well in a race like this, on a track that doesn’t suit, we will know she will be even better when she gets on a galloping, turf track.

“We’re looking forward to seeing her, she’s a lovely filly who is bred to stay well and we hope she runs well.”

Aidan O’Brien, who has won this race twice before with Baraka (2004) and Seventh Heaven (2016), relies upon Be Happy, who has the benefit of a run under her belt, having finished third in the Group Three Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud last month.

Charlie Appleby is seeking a first success in the race and saddles both Eternal Hope and Sunset Point.

The former, a daughter of Teofilo, has had two starts so far this year, scoring over 10 furlongs at Chelmsford in February.

Sunset Point, by Dubawi, has more experience with four previous outings, winning the last two, a novice over a mile on the all-weather at Lingfield and when running away with a 10-furlong fillies’ handicap at Windsor on her seasonal bow last month.

Charlie Appleby said: “Eternal Hope is slightly less experienced than Sunset Point, but both have won on the all-weather.

“Both don’t look out of place in the field and this should give us a gauge for their future.”

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