Final declarations were made today for the £366,500 Investec Oaks, the highlight of Investec Ladies' Day at Epsom Downs this Friday, June 1.
All of the 14 fillies who stood their ground at Saturday's six-day confirmation stage remain engaged and a highly-competitive contest is in prospect for the fillies' Classic, which takes place at 4.05pm over a mile and a half.
Trainer Ralph Beckett has already tasted success in the Classic with Look Here, who was an impressive winner of the Oaks in 2008 and this year he is looking forward to running Colima, a twice-raced daughter of 2007 Derby hero Authorized.
Colima made a good start to her career with a comfortable two-length success in a mile maiden at Nottingham in November. She reappeared this season in the Listed Betfred Oaks Trial on Polytrack at Lingfield on May 9, when she ran well to finish second to Vow, trained by William Haggas. William Hill, Official Betting Partner of the 2012 Investec Derby Festival, make Colima a 14/1 chance, while Vow is the 9/2 third favourite.
Beckett, based at Kimpton Downs Stables in Hampshire, said today: “We are happy with Colima. Her work at the weekend was good and we are looking forward to running her.
“I think she has improved for her run at Lingfield. I wouldn't be confident of bridging the gap on Vow; I'm not confident about anything, but we live in hope.
“I think she has the right attributes; she is a well balanced filly and she has a very good temperament, so both of those are on our side. However, whether that is enough to see us over the line in front is a different thing altogether.
“The ground at Epsom wouldn't concern me at all.”
Heading the market for the Investec Oaks with William Hill is Maybe (5/2), one of six runners for Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien. The Galileo filly was undefeated as a juvenile in 2011, when her five victories included the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. She finished third behind stable companion Homecoming Queen in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, the first fillies' Classic over a mile at Newmarket on May 6.
Maybe is joined in the Investec Oaks by stable companions Betterbetterbetter (40/1), runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks, Group Three 1000 Guineas Trial second Devotion (40/1), the unbeaten Kissed (6/1), an impressive winner in a Listed event at Navan on April 29, Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes second Twirl (25/1) and Was (25/1), who came home third in the Group Three Blue Wind Stakes at Naas on May 16. O'Brien is seeking his fourth success in the Investec Oaks following Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001) and Alexandrova (2006).
The Fugue, 11/4 second favourite with William Hill, is owned by Lord Andrew and Lady Madeleine Lloyd-Webber and trained by John Gosden. She finished fourth in QIPCO 1000 Guineas before making a quick reappearance in the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs at York on May 16, when she was the ready four and a half-length winner from Twirl.
Godolphin has enjoyed Oaks success with Balanchine (1994), Moonshell (1995) and Kazzia (2002) and the Maktoum family's racing operation is represented in 2012 by Kailani (8/1), a daughter of Kazzia who was supplemented at a cost of £20,000 on Saturday. The Monsun filly is undefeated in two starts, having taken the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 6 last time out.
Also set to line up at Epsom Downs on Friday is the Hughie Morrison-trained Coquet (25/1), who was triumphant in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood on May 24. She will be joined by stable companion Shirocco Star (16/1), who was the short-head runner-up in the Listed Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury on May 18.
Completing the field are the Mick Channon-trained Nayarra (50/1), a Group One winner in Italy last term who was fourth behind Coquet in the Height Of Fashion Stakes, and recent Newmarket maiden third Toptempo (100/1), from the stable of Mark Tompkins.
Investec Ladies' Day features a seven-race card getting underway at 1.40pm with the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored By Investec).
