Oaks Memories: Cecil bounces back with Light Shift

Form is temporary; class is permanent. Nobody embodied that famous phrase more than the remarkable racehorse trainer Sir Henry Cecil.

By virtue of numerous classic wins, multiple trainers' titles and, in the autumn of his career, the expert handling of the extraordinary Frankel, Sir Henry Cecil firmly established himself one of the greatest trainers of his, or any other, generation. He set the standard others aspire to reach, although they set out on their journey knowing full well that they will ultimately fall short, such is the benchmark Cecil has set.

There was, however, a period after the turn of the millennium when it looked as if Cecil's illustrious career was going to fizzle out. He was no longer training Group 1 horses; in fact, his string, once in the region of 200, was down to a mere 60. Little wonder, so short on ammo, he was failing to challenge the Coolmore and Godolphin battalions.

Part of the reason for Sir Henry's temporary decline was undoubtedly due to a tumultuous time in his personal life, but the withdrawal of support from powerful, influential owners surely goes some way to explaining Cecil's spell in the racing wilderness. A period of six years without Group 1 success would have been hardly fathomable during the glory years, yet that is how much time elapsed between Beat Hollow's Grand Prix de Paris win in 2000 and Passage of Time's victory in the 2006 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. 

Significantly, Passage of Time, like Beat Hollow, was carrying the famous colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, and it is worth pointing out that not everyone deserted Sir Henry during the lean years, Prince Khalid Abdullah and the Niarchos family being two high-profile examples of supporters subscribing to the 'form is temporary, class is permanent' logic. 

On June 1, 2007, Cecil turned up at Epsom with two live chances in the Oaks - a race in which he had an outstanding record having saddled the winner on seven previous occasions. Passage of Time - the horse whose Saint-Cloud success had put Warren Place firmly back on the map - was a well-supported 9-4 favourite after making a successful return in the Musidora Stakes at York, but the Niarchos family were also represented in the shape of Light Shift, a progressive filly who had claimed the Cheshire Oaks on her most recent start. 

In truth, though, Light Shift hadn't produced a performance at Chester that stamped her down as a potential Oaks winner. Although she won a shade cosily, her rider not feeling the need to subject her to maximum pressure, the bare form of her victory over the regally-bred All My Loving - who would reoppose at Epsom - left her with a bit to find with the principals in the Oaks, most notably her stablemate, Passage of Time.

As is so often the case in competitive affairs at Epsom, plenty found trouble during the race. Light Shift, however, encountered no such problems, her jockey Ted Durcan - riding his first British classic winner - wisely electing to keep his mount wide and away from the scrimmaging towards the rail. Making smooth headway on the approach to the iconic Tattenham Corner, Light Shift simply floated down the hill, passing a number of rivals inconvenienced by trouble in running as she glided into contention. 

Light Shift was travelling noticeably well as they straightened for home - certainly better than her stablemate, Passage of Time, who was under maximum pressure - and Ted Durcan only had to nudge his mount as she quickened smartly by her old rival All My Loving. 

With fully two furlongs left to run, Light Shift was in front plenty soon enough and, ominously for fans of Sir Henry's filly, the unmistakable silks of Michael Tabor were drawing ever closer as Peeping Fawn, a rapidly-progressive filly trained by Aidan O'Brien, started to hit top gear. 

Peeping Fawn hadn't handled Epsom's unique downhill run particularly well, losing her place slightly as the race began in earnest, but the thriving filly responded in tremendous fashion once switched to the outside by Martin Dwyer and she looked like a serious threat as she surged alongside Light Shift inside the final furlong. Light Shift, however, dug deep under maximum pressure and gallantly fought off the challenge, in doing so providing her trainer with a phenomenal - if somewhat overdue - 24th domestic classic success.

There were fantastic scenes in the winners' enclosure as spectators flocked to show their appreciation of Sir Henry, with calls of 'Three Cheers For Henry' echoing around the unsaddling area. Cecil, the once-dominant force in British racing, was now back in the big time, unable to compete numerically with the likes of Coolmore, but proving - as if it was needed - that he was still as capable as anyone if given the right ammunition; proving indeed that class is permanent.

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