Aidan O’Brien will saddle two leading hopes in Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red in this year’s Betfred Oaks (4.30) after the final field was revealed for the Epsom Classic.
The duo are among a field of 12 for the Oaks as O’Brien bids to win it for the fourth time in the last five runnings. Ylang Ylang is the favourite, having finished a close fifth in the 1,000 Guineas on her comeback this month, while Rubies Are Red was an eyecatching second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. Ireland is set to have a strong hand with Dermot Weld declaring Ezeliya, who won a Group 3 on her latest outing. She attempts to give Weld his second Oaks success after landing the race back in 1981 with Blue Wind. Ralph Beckett will be represented by a four-strong team in his quest for another Oaks win, with Forest Fairy heading them following her fine win in the Cheshire Oaks last time. She bids to emulate the great Enable in gaining Epsom glory after winning at Chester and is set to be ridden once again by Rossa Ryan. You Got To Me, who beat Rubies Are Red in the Lingfield Oaks Trial, will be partnered by Hector Crouch, while James Doyle has come in for the ride on the King and Queen’s runner Treasure and Silvestre de Sousa is declared on outsider Seaward.
Secret Satire bids to continue the fine recent record of Musidora Stakes winners in the Oaks as Andrew Balding seeks a second Oaks success, 21 years after Casual Look provided the big breakthrough in his training career. The most notable absentee at Thursday’s declarations stage was Opera Singer, who finished third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas last weekend.
Emily Upjohn heads Coronation Cup stars
Also on the card, Emily Upjohn will bid to join an illustrious roll of honour in winning another Coronation Cup (3.10) and faces four rivals in the Group 1.
The five-year-old was an impressive winner of the race last year under Frankie Dettori but will be partnered this time by Kieran Shoemark. She finished fifth on her comeback this year in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March. Speaking to the British Champions Series, her joint-trainer John Gosden said: “She worked very nicely last week and I’m pleased with her. It was a very good run earlier in the year in the Sheema Classic, where they played with the pace. I liked the way she finished her race off and she wasn’t beaten far.
“It’s not easy with fillies in training them in the winter, and she’d been off since the previous July, so she needed to get back on track. She ran a lovely race and she’s done well physically since then. This was always the next step for her and she handles Epsom well. She was a touch unlucky in the Oaks, but that’s life.”
Luxembourg is Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative after the likes of St Leger winner Continuous and Auguste Rodin were not declared, while last year’s Grand Prix de Paris victor Feed The Flame bids to end a ten-year wait for another French victory in the race.
Hamish and classy filly Time Lock complete the field of five, with Tattersalls Gold Cup winner White Birch also among the absentees at the declarations stage.
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