I’ve been wondering whether perhaps I should lower my standards and start writing up those that earn ratings lower than my normal benchmark of 36 on the grounds that they’re the best of a bad bunch.

Thankfully, I can now ditch that idea because the time Tarfasha (38) clocked when winning the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas against older horses was exceptional. It marks her out as not just the best of a bad bunch but as one of the fastest Oaks trial winners in the last decade.

The way that Tarfasha won was most impressive. She simply cruised into the lead just after the two-furlong pole.

Jockey Pat Smullen soon realised Tarfasha didn’t need the two cracks of the whip he’d given her as she quickly opened up a lead of over three lengths. She cruised away to win full of running and being eased up approaching the line.

Tarfasha is a well-balanced, nicely-proportioned, rather nippy sort who looks tailor-made for the gradients and tight turns of Epsom. Unless the French do something they haven’t done since 2000 and have a runner in the Oaks, she is going to line up at Epsom as far and away the best runner on my ratings. 

In this regard it is interesting to note that so far there has been only one filly who has reached the first three in the Blue Wind Stakes on her seasonal debut and gone on to run in the Oaks. This was the 2012 Oaks heroine Was, and she only ran third in the Blue Wind Stakes.

As a half-sister to high class stayers Galileo Rock and Saddler’s Rock, Tarfasha looks sure to appreciate the extra two furlongs at Epsom. Basically she looks a near-perfect and dominant candidate for the Oaks. The 7/1 the bookies are offering about her for the race looks way too big to me.