Shutter Speed did not get to prove her ability in the Oaks at Epsom and has been targeted at the French equivalent at Chantilly on Sunday which is known as the Prix de Diane. The race is a Group 1 contest for three-year-old fillies over one mile and two and a half furlongs.
In theory Shutter Speed is the best female horse of the Classic generation and she would have won or gone very close in the Oaks. The horse is trained by John Gosden and been ridden by Frankie Dettori in her three starts to date. The pair teamed up with Star Of Seviile when that horse won the Prix de Diane two years ago.
The trainer must have a good handle on the relative ability of his three-year-old fillies. He bypassed the Oaks with Shutter Speed but still won the race with Enable. Shutter Speed beat Enable by over two and a half lengths at Newbury in April and the form of that race looks solid.
Enable beat Rhododendron by five lengths in the Oaks so in theory on collateral form Shutter Speed has something in hand with Rhododendron. Form is not an exact science, especially with young fillies. However, Shutter Speed looks overpriced relative to the price for Rhododendron to win the French Oaks.
Gosden believes Shutter Speed’s best distance is around 10 furlongs so he missed the Oaks and the French version is being seen as a great opportunity to win a Classic. The filly has been impressive this season in winning at Newbury and then the Musidora Stakes at York in May.
Shutter Speed earned a career high rating of 108 in that race while Rhododendron ran to a mark of 116 in the Oaks. However, Shutter Speed is more unexposed and has only run three times in her life. The Prix de Diane will go a long way to identifying the best three-year-old filly in Europe.
Winter would have to enter the equation because the horse has won the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas this season. She has the same BHA rating at Rhododendrun but Shutter Speed has the potential to be the best horses of her gender and generation.
Rhododendrun is still quoted by bookmakers to win the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday. It’s a big ask to run in two Group 1 races inside one week but given a relatively easy run in France this Sunday she could reappear quickly. Rhododendrun was the runner-up behind Winter in the 1,000 Guineas and second in the Oaks.
French-trained Terrakova could be the best of the lot and on pedigree is a potential champion Flat horse. She is bred out of Galileo who is out of the brilliant mare Goldikova. That breeding is yet to be fully shown on the track but Terrakova is unbeaten in two starts.
Shutter Speed has won her two races aged three comfortably and has not been pressed to her limits. The horse can improve for those two runs and win the 2017 Prix de Diane.
Tip: Shutter Speed at 15/8 with William Hill.Â
