Sam King takes a look at the Epsom Oaks.
The Epsom Oaks has produced some special performances over the years and although this year's renewal may lack a superstar on paper, there's no telling what may be around the corner with a whole host of unexposed horses ready to take their chance.
Having saddled four of the last five winners of the feature fillies' Classic, there's no better place to start than with those trained by Aidan O'Brien. The maestro from Ballydoyle is dual-represented this season with Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red, although both bring contrasting profiles into the twelve-furlong Group 1 prize.
Ylang Ylang enjoyed something of a mixed season as a juvenile, trailing home last of nine when sent off the 6/5 favourite for the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, before ending her campaign with a half-length success in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.
A return to England's racing headquarters was on the cards for her seasonal return in May and a staying-on fifth-place finish in the 1000 Guineas would see Aidan O'Brien's filly emerge with plenty of credit. Although the four in front of her that day are yet to be seen subsequently, the form does already look to be working out, with Karl Burke's pair Fallen Angel (7th) and Darnation (14th) going on to land 1000 Guineas in Ireland and Germany, while the eleventh-placed horse Regal Jubilee looked unlucky not to get back to winning ways in Listed company at Goodwood recently.
Stepping up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time could easily be what Aidan O'Brien's filly is after this season and once taking everything into account, it's hardly surprising to see this expensively purchased daughter of Frankel at the head of the market.
Her stablemate Rubies Are Red went into plenty of notebooks when flying home late from an uncompromising position to grab second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial last month. Stamina certainly will not be an issue for this full-sister to Arc heroine Found, but she does have 15lb to find with Ylang Ylang on official ratings and is yet to get her head in front in three outings, although it is worth noting Aidan O'Brien's Forever Together shed her maiden tag in the Epsom Oaks on her fourth career start back in 2018.
Away from the O'Brien pair Dermot Weld, who looks for a staggering 25th English and Irish Classic triumph, appears to have a live unexposed contender in the shape of Ezeliya. The Aga Khan-bred daughter of Dubawi should relish the step up to twelve furlongs and was nicely on top of the 103-rated Purple Lily in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes on her reappearance at Navan in April.
Of the home contingent, it could pay to concentrate on the quartet saddled by dual Oaks-winning trainer Ralph Beckett. The Kimpton Downs handler was the last trainer to win the prestigious Group 1 before the Aidan O'Brien and John and Thady Gosden yards grabbed a stranglehold on it and his Forest Fairy bring plenty of untapped potential to the table. An impressive winner on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on debut in February, she did well to get up late (short of room at a crucial stage) in the Cheshire Oaks at Chester last time. There's no doubt she'll need more to trouble the likes of Ylang Ylang, but that's entirely possible on her third career start and being drawn in stall four will do her chances no harm.
You Got To Me displayed plenty of guts and determination to fend off the late challenge of Rubies Are Red when well-backed to land the Lingfield Oaks Trial. However, she ran away with her rider Hector Crouch for the first part of the contest there and will likely need to settle better should she land the spoils or even uphold the form with O'Brien's reopposing contender.
Given that the Group 3 Musidora Stakes has proved the best trial in recent years with two of the last three winners going onto Oaks glory, it would be harsh not to give a mention to this year's scorer Secret Satire. Andrew Balding's filly failed to settle in the early part of the contest at York but was strong in the finish when coming clear by two lengths to cause something of a surprise. The mile-and-a-half trip does look like it could stretch her on pedigree (by Advertise) but if getting home, there's no doubt she could feature at the business end under Oisin Murphy.
In conclusion, Ylang Ylang looks like the obvious answer to the puzzle now that she stretches out in trip following a highly-encouraging reappearance effort in the 1000 Guineas. Ryan Moore does have to navigate being drawn twelve of twelve, but he should be able to slot his mount into a comfortable position and as the ratings suggest, she can stamp her class and authority on the field. The chief threat may come from fellow Irish raider Ezeliya, who looks sure to relish every inch of this mile-and-a-half journey, while Cheshire Oaks winner Forest Fairy could be the pick of the home team.
