Queen Azteca Stands Out in Oaks

The UAE Oaks, the first Classic of the season at Meydan today, has been a terrific race for favourites; five of the last six have won and Queen Azteca is fancied to become the seventh favourite to land the prize in the last decade.

- Ed Marnane

Niels Petersen's stable star, impressive winner of the Cocoa Beach Stakes, is a strong stayer and will relish stepping up to 1900m. Queen Azteca has little to fear from the reopposing Taswaheen and Arigatou Gozaimasu, who chased home Queen Azteca last month. She will be hard to beat in a typical weak renewal of the Group 3 event.

The return of Charlie Appleby's high-class filly Cinderella's Dream in Race 5, the Balanchine Stakes (Group 2), is the highlight of the undercard. Winner of six of her eight races, she has been off the track since finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November.

The daughter of Shamardal, who is unbeaten in two appearances at Meydan, had a troubled passage at Del Mar and was an unlucky loser. She possesses a sharp turn of foot, loves quick ground and can start her campaign with a bang.

Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Choisya, winner of the Cape Verdi on her seasonal debut, looks the only threat in the 1800m event. She was given a frontrunning fine ride by Mickael Barzalona in a muddling contest.

She's a useful, progressive filly but unlikely to trouble Cinderella's Dream.

Race 2, the Al Bastikiya Stakes, the middle leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, should offer some clues for the UAE Derby later in the season. The Listed race over 1900m on dirt has drawn a full field of 16 and 99-rated Heart Of Honor, winner of two of his three races since switched to dirt at Meydan, makes plenty of appeal in the hands of Saffie Osborne, the first female rider to ride a winner at Meydan.