Red-hot favourite Emily Upjohn and her stablemate Nashwa are among 12 fillies confirmed for the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom on Friday.
Emily Upjohn is odds-on across the board after claiming her third win from as many starts in the Musidora Stakes at York earlier this month. The daughter of Sea The Stars will bid to provide John Gosden, who now trains in partnership with son Thady, with a fourth Oaks success following the previous triumphs of Taghrooda, Enable and Anapurna.
One of the biggest threats to Frankie Dettori’s mount is fellow Clarehaven Stables inmate Nashwa, who will be ridden by Hollie Doyle. The Frankel filly has looked every inch a top-class performer in winning at Haydock and Newbury and will test her powers over a mile and a half for the first time on the Surrey Downs.
Aidan O’Brien secured his ninth Oaks success with Snowfall 12 months ago and looks likely to be well represented once again. Chief among the four Ballydoyle contenders is Tuesday, who has been placed in both the English and Irish versions of the 1000 Guineas.
She could be joined by Irish 1,000 Guineas third Concert Hall and Thoughts Of June, who booked her ticket to Epsom with victory in the Cheshire Oaks at Chester, while The Algarve completes the O’Brien quartet.
Charlie Appleby’s impressive Newbury scorer With The Moonlight and Joseph O’Brien’s Naas Group Three winner Tranquil Lady also feature – as does Tom Clover’s Lingfield trial winner Rogue Millennium, who has been supplemented at a cost of £25,000.