Filly in Derby picture
It is a tale that Disney could not have dreamed up - a filly winning Flat racing's most coveted prize, the Epsom Derby. But in the past week that is a concept many believe is not quite as impossible as it seems.
The Godolphin-owned-and-trained Cape Verdi, a brilliant winner of the 1,000 Guineas, has come in for 'unprecedented' support for the Derby on June 6, shortening from 5-1 to be as low as 9-4 'with a run'. But will she be given her chance to become the fourth filly this century - and the first since Fifinella in 1916 - to win the world's most famous Classic? Simon Crisford, the racing manager for Godolphin, said the Dubai stable had not ruled out that possibility, although no decision is to be taken on the filly's participation until shortly before May 30, the deadline for supplementary entries for the Derby.
Understandably, Cape Verdi is already 7-4 favourite for the Oaks (June 5) with Corals, who cut her price for the fillies' Classic from 9-4, so strong is the interest since her thoroughly convincing five-length victory on the Rowley Mile last Sunday. Crisford was also interested to learn that according to statistics, 14 fillies have contested the Derby since 1900, three of them winning - Signorinetta (1908), Tagalie (1912) and Fifinella (1916).
The most recent filly to run in the race was Portugese Lil, a 500-1 chance in 1996. She gave Alex Greaves the distinction of becoming the first woman to ride in a Derby, but really had no place contesting the Classic.
You have to go back 21 years to find the next. In 1975, Nelson Bunker Hunt's filly Nobiliary made the most significant modern-day attempt for Derby honours when finishing an honourable second to the all-conquering Grundy, who went on to take the Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in subsequent runs.
The Derby challenges of all other females this century ended in failure, with all being unplaced, although the great Sceptre, sent off an even-money favourite in 1902, finished fourth, spoiling her chance of a clean sweep of the Classics that year.
One very interesting factor in the current Cape Verdi speculation is that the Maktoum family - Godolphin in particular - have a history of supplementing fillies for Classics, where and when they consider it appropriate.