Ralph Beckett: the inside track on my Betfred Oaks contenders

Ralph Beckett is ready to fire a three-pronged assault on the Betfred Oaks, with A La Prochaine now set to be joined by stablemates K Sarra and On Message in Friday’s Epsom Classic.

While A La Prochaine booked her ticket by finishing third in the Cheshire Oaks behind Aidan O’Brien’s Amelia Earhart, Musidora Stakes third K Sarra appeared unlikely to line up after galloping at Epsom on Tuesday morning, with her trainer suggesting she could instead wait for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, speaking on Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday programme, Beckett confirmed she will now return to the Surrey Downs.

He said: “A La Prochaine was always going to run from the moment she crossed the line in the Cheshire Oaks and I’m really looking forward to it. James Doyle came down yesterday (Saturday) and sat on her and she worked well and appears to have come out of it well.

“K Sarra went to Epsom on Tuesday morning and she just tripped and lost her action crossing the road and for a couple of strides after it. I thought she went pretty well, her rider (Rossa Ryan) was a little more sanguine about the gallop, but I thought she went well.

“They’re not going to come around Tattenham Corner in the Oaks as those two did (in the gallop) – Colin Keane set a good clip in front on Serenetta, who is a sister to Bluestocking and Qirat and is pretty smart I think.

“I felt watching that there was no reason not to go (to Epsom) and her owner is really keen.”

Beckett, who has previously claimed Oaks glory with Look Here (2008) and Talent (2013), is also set to saddle On Message, a winner of a handicap at Epsom in late April before making late gains to place third in Goodwood’s Height Of Fashion Stakes.

“She’ll run and she clearly wanted a mile and a half (at Goodwood) – at a mile and a half she would have won, although that is a slightly spurious thing to say because the front two probably don’t get a mile and a half,” Beckett added.

“She takes her racing very well and has already won around Epsom so I’m looking forward to sending her.”

The Kimpton Down handler will be represented in the Betfred Derby on Saturday by Bay Of Brilliance, who was narrowly beaten by the William Haggas-trained Maltese Cross in the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Beckett is optimistic his charge can reverse that form and make his presence felt in the premier Classic, adding: “I think he’s a real one in the sense that we believe the track will suit him and I don’t think he’s ground dependent.

“I don’t really think we’ve got to the bottom of him yet, although it appeared that way at Lingfield when he was outrun to the line by William Haggas’ horse. I think the reality is he’ll improve for it and whether that’s enough we’ll find out.

“For Bay Of Brilliance it was his first start of the year whereas it was William’s horse’s second start, so inevitably you hold out a bit of hope in that sense (of reversing the form) and our horse has a very good temperament – he’s a hardy individual and I don’t think the day will get to him, so that’s two positives.”