Racing/Epsom Oaks: Aidan O'Brien and Kieren Fallon received the perfect pre-Derby boost when Alexandrova put up a scintillating performance to run away with yesterday's Vodafone Epsom Oaks by six lengths.

It's the lot of Oaks winners that their day of glory is often overshadowed by the blue riband race for colts but Alexandrova looked truly exceptional in thrashing the 33 to 1 outsider Rising Cross, with Short Skirt third. The latter had beaten the 9 to 4 favourite in York's Musidora trial last month but it was a different story when it mattered most.

Fallon, riding his fourth Oaks winner, had only one behind him as the field swung into the straight led by the 1,000 Guineas winner Speciosa. For a moment the fairytale result for the mostly National Hunt trainer Pam Sly looked on. But then the eye was drawn inexorably to the outside.

Not many jockeys can take a pull at the two-furlong pole of a Classic but that's what Alexandrova allowed Fallon do. Once he asked for maximum effort, the result was instantaneous and it was a long looking six lengths at the line with Fallon pulling up.

"I couldn't believe it. I got there sooner than I wanted to but she took me there the whole way. We didn't actually go that quick early on, which usually means it's hard for the horses at the back, but she ran sweet as a nut the whole way," grinned Fallon.

Even with five horses in the Derby, the Coolmore supremo John Magnier still savoured the performance of the filly he owns alongside Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

For O'Brien it was a third Oaks triumph, and by far the easiest after Shahtoush (1998) and Horatio Nelson's dam Imagine in 2001. Neither of those two made it to the Curragh in July for the Irish Oaks, one of the few big races the trainer has yet to win.

On yesterday's form it must be odds-on about Alexandrova fixing that statistic.