The Cazoo Oaks: assessing the pedigrees behind an open-looking Classic field

Camelot, the winner of the 2012 Derby and a sire who came close to Oaks success with Pink Dogwood in 2019, will attempt to right that wrong with talking horse Santa Barbara in the Epsom Classic on Friday.

Coolmore's son of Montjeu has established himself as a top-class source of middle-distance Classic contenders - among them Irish Derby hero Latrobe and Grosser Preis von Bayern winner Sunny Queen - and he looks to have another in this season's Qipco 1,000 Guineas fourth.

Santa Barbara is the eighth foal out of the Danehill mare Senta's Dream - a daughter of Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf scorer Starine - and a half-sister to none other then multiple Group 1 heroine Iridessa (by Ruler Of The World) and Order Of Australia (Australia).

Iridessa proved best over a mile and a quarter, while Order Of Australia landed his Group 1 over a mile in the Breeders' Cup Mile, although he did strike at the Curragh last year over a mile and a half, encouragingly for Santa Barbara supporters.

Santa Barbara: should be suited by the step up in trip being by CamelotCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The Ballydoyle team for the Cazoo-backed Classic consists of five runners and Snowfall, a runaway winner of the Musidora Stakes, will attempt to continue the late Deep Impact's notable record in European Classics.

Consistently tried in top company last term, the filly is evidently bred for middle distances, being out of a full-sister to the brilliant Arc winner Found in Best In The World, herself a Group 3 winner and runner-up in the Blandford Stakes.

Best In The World is out of that wonderful producer Red Evie, the winner of the Lockinge and Matron Stakes for Michael Bell and Terry Neil.

Exclusively mated to Galileo, the daughter of Intikhab is also responsible for fellow Oaks contender Divinely, winner of the Flame of Tara Stakes at two, and Magical Dream, who struck in the Weld Park Stakes and was fourth to Sky Lantern in the Moyglare.

Aidan O'Brien's squad is completed by Willow, a daughter of American Pharoah and the brilliant Danehill mare Peeping Fawn who seeks to give the Ashford Stud sire a second European Group 1 winner after Van Gogh in the Criterium International, and La Joconde, a Listed-placed Frankel half-sister to last season's Irish Derby hero Santiago.

Zeyaadah out for Shadwell success

Zeyaadah could be part of a major weekend for the late Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell operation, with Al Aasy hot favourite for the Group 1 Coral Coronation Cup earlier on Friday's card and Mohaafeth among the leading contenders for Saturday's Cazoo Derby.

A homebred daughter of Derrinstown Stud's Group 1-winning miler and proven sire Tamayuz, the Roger Varian-trained Zeyaadah is the seventh foal out of the Act One mare Masaafat, an unraced half-sister to Cheveley Park runner-up Suez, the dam of Fillies' Mile heroine Lyric Of Light, and the New Zealand Group 1-placed Polish Princess.

Unbeaten in three starts at two, including when defeating the reopposing Mystery Angel in the Montrose Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket, the Cheshire Oaks runner-up is a half-sister to three winners.

Up-and-coming sires line up

Mystery Angel is one of the less likely winners based on pedigree, being by Kodiac's Group 2-winning and Dewhurt-placed son Kodi Bear and out of a Dark Angel mare in Nottingham maiden winner Angel Grace.

Mystery Angel: strong staying daughter of the up-and-coming Kodi BearCredit: Getty Images

Group-placed in the Zetland Stakes last year, however, she stayed on convincingly to land the Pretty Polly Stakes at headquarters this spring.

The Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale graduate - a 22,000gns purchase by Nick Bradley from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale - comes from a family that includes a mile Group 2 winner in Hurricane Alan and dual Cesarewitch scorer Aaim To Prosper. What's more, connections were confident enough to supplement her, suggesting they feel she has a chance of finishing in the money.

She is flying the flag for the smaller breeder having been produced by Noelle Walsh at Knockananig Stud in County Cork.

Another exciting second-season sire New Bay was represented with his first Classic runner in Saffron Beach at Newmarket, and the Guineas second attempts to go one better at Epsom.

Bred by China Horse Club and a 55,000gns purchase as a foal from the Tattersalls December Sale, her Juddmonte-bred sire won the Prix du Jockey Club and also landed the Prix Niel over a mile and a half on soft ground for Andre Fabre.

Out of the seven-furlong Lingfield maiden winner Falling Petals, a Raven's Pass half-sister to Criterion Stakes runner-up Huntdown, Saffron Beach hails from a family that includes Tally-Ho Stud's first-season sire Cotai Glory.

Further Epsom glory for Derby-winning sires?

Sea The Stars has already completed the Epsom Classic double with Shadwell's wonderful Taghrooda in the 2014 Oaks and Harzand two years later in the Derby. What price another heroine in the Varian-trained Teona?

The 2009 Derby hero is well-established as one of Europe's leading sires and his Rabbah Bloodstock-bred daughter, a 280,000gns sale to Hugo Merry at Tattersalls Book 1, would heighten his already considerable standing.

Teona: impressive Newcastle winner bids to give Sea The Stars another Oaks successCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

An impressive nine-length winner on her second start at two, Teona is the third foal out of Ali Saeed's Authorized mare Ambivalent, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes and third in the Coronation Cup. Her half-brother, the Dubawi colt Al Hilalee, relished the mile and a half trip when winning the Prix Hocquart two years ago.

Australia has enjoyed a blistering start to the 2021 season and Coolmore's 2014 Epsom victor is represented by Ocean Road.

Owned by Qatar Racing after being snapped up for 150,000gns from Tattersalls October Book 1 when consigned by Lodge Park Stud - she was a 140,000gns purchase as a foal by Emerald Bloodstock - the Hugo Palmer-trained filly built on her juvenile win with a staying on third in the Lingfield Oaks trial behind Sherbet Lemon and Save A Forest.

Out of the winning Theatrical mare Love And Laughter, a daughter of Cherry Hinton runner-up Hoh Dear, she is a half-sister to dual Northern Dancer Turf Stakes scorer Wigmore Hall and Lady Liberty, a German Listed-winning daughter of Shirocco.

Sire power to the fore

Lingfield trial winner Sherbet Lemon is representing a recently pensioned sire in Lane's End Farm's prolific Lemon Drop Kid.

The winner of two of her three starts for Apple Tree Farm, she was picked up for $200,000 by Federico Barberini at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Out of Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Famous - a full-sister to Mastercraftsman - she is a half-sister to the high-class stayer Il Paradiso, a son of Galileo who was third in the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

Banstead Manor Stud's supersire Kingman is not generally associated with middle-distance runners, although Wirko, Waldkonig and now Save A Forest have done much to dispel that view.

The Gredley-homebred has consistently improved across five starts and connections are confident of her staying power for this test. Out of the unraced Galileo mare Bark, a full-sister to the Grade 1-placed hurdler Beyond Conceit, her full-brother Father Of Jazz has twice easily struck over a mile and a quarter this year.

Dubai Fountain: by Teofilo and from the family of Dubai DestinationCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Godolphin homebred Dubai Fountain has a Darley pedigree through and through, being by Teofilo and out of a Dubawi half-sister to the high-class Dubai Destination and Librettist among four black-type performers.

The Cheshire Oaks winner was consistently Group-placed last term, including when second to Indigo Girl in the May Hill Stakes, and can count the Listed-winning hurdler Leoncavallo and the Listed-placed Dark Angel colt Real World among her immediate relations.

Technique, a daughter of Mastercraftsman and bred by the Pocock family, is the second foal out of the winning Sea The Stars mare Lifting Me Higher, herself out of a full-sister to Holy Roman Emperor.

A narrow runner-up in the Blue Riband Trial, the Mantonbury Stud-owned filly also hails from the family of Gallinule Stakes second Perfect To Play, a son of Irish Derby runner-up Born To Sea.

Read more

Mystery Angel provides a heaven-sent moment for Knockananig Stud

We have a winning grandson - another first for fantastic Frankel

First winner for Churchill as Il Grande Gatsby strikes in Rome