DURCAN BELIEVES IN LIGHT SHIFT:By Dave Yates 18/07/2007
TED DURCAN can’t wait for the decider between Oaks heroines Light Shift and Peeping Fawn in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood a fortnight on Saturday.
Durcan’s partner Light Shift edged out Peeping Fawn when the pair met at Epsom at the beginning of June, in the process giving Henry Cecil his eighth Oaks success.
But last Sunday Aidan O’Brien’s Peeping Fawn exacted her revenge with a three-and-a-half length win on rain-softened ground in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
Now the pair are set to clash in the fillies’ Group 1 over 10 furlongs, which has also attracted the French-trained Mandesha.
Light Shift is 7-1 third choice behind her overseas-trained rivals, who share favouritism at 5-2.
But Durcan is confident Light Shift, who runs in the colours of the Niarchos Family, will show her true colours on faster ground.
"She ran a super race at the Curragh and we know she is better on better ground," said the jockey.
"So under the circumstances, while we were disappointed not to win, we were very pleased with her.
"In all her races, especially at Newbury and Chester, she proved she has an electrifying turn of foot and on that ground she couldn't show it.
"Peeping Fawn is a very good filly and she handles that ground, it wasn't just very soft, it was heavy.
"They are a pair of very smart fillies and hopefully we will get our revenge, there is no reason why she won't bounce back.
"Even though we know she stays a mile and a half, there is no reason why she will not be as effective over 10 furlongs."
Another mouthwatering clash of the fillies is in prospect as Darjina, Finsceal Beo and Simply Perfect lock horns in the Prix d’Astarte at Deauvilleon Sunday week.
Darjina ran third to Indian Ink in the Coronation Stakes – with Finsceal Beo behind in eighth – at Royal Ascot last month, and Georges Rimaud, racing manager to the filly’s owner, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, said yesterday: "Everything is ticking along well.
"She had an extra week or two of recuperation after Ascotand we are looking forward to running her at Deauville.
"She ran a very good race, especially as she slipped on the final corner. She was beaten by a filly who handled the conditions much better than she did