'To me there are only three fillies who can win it' - who can beat Savethelastdance in the Oaks?

Aidan O’Brien and John and Thady Gosden could complete a decade of Oaks dominance by the two powerhouse yards if successful, and the betting suggests the fillies’ Classic could be heading to Ballydoyle for a fourth consecutive year courtesy of Savethelastdance.

O’Brien has struck with four of his 11 Oaks favourites and market leader Savethelastdance will bid to enhance that statistic on the back of a 22-length demolition of the Cheshire Oaks.

Savethelastdance has shown versatility in her two wins from three starts, making most to win a Leopardstown fillies’ maiden in April and coming from the rear to gallop clear in the Chester Listed event, earning a top Racing Post Rating of 116.

She does have to prove her liking for a quick surface, with all three of her runs coming on soft or heavy ground, and O’Brien is intrigued to see how Ryan Moore’s mount copes with faster conditions.

O’Brien said: “It was great to see what Savethelastdance did at Chester and everything has gone well since. If you looked at her pedigree, you would think definitely not soft ground for her and most Galileos and Scat Daddys would be the same.

“She was obviously able to cope with it well at Chester and it will be very interesting to see what she can do on totally different ground.”

A third of O’Brien’s 75 runners in the Oaks have finished in the first three and he is two-handed with the Wayne Lordan-ridden Red Riding Hood, who finished third in the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas last time. Be Happy, also due to represent Ballydoyle, was declared a non-runner on Friday.

O’Brien added: “Red Riding Hood will take her time – she can lose her concentration slightly when she gets to the front, but we have been happy with her.”

Dettori: 'The rest have got a big gap to bridge'

Frankie Dettori believes the race revolves around the top three in the betting and feels “all the signs are good” for his final Oaks mount Soul Sister staying the 1m4f trip.

The Lady Bamford homebred failed to fire on soft ground in the Fred Darling at Newbury on her return in April, but she firmly entered the Classic reckoning with a four-length victory in the Musidora on good ground at York.

She equalled the RPR of 115 recorded by Musidora winner The Fugue in 2012 – a figure that has not been bettered since – and Dettori was suitably impressed.

Dettori, a six-time Oaks winning rider, said: “I was impressed because my filly quickened twice. When she ran at Newbury it was heavy ground and John’s horses were needing a race, but she clocked a good time at York and I was pleasantly surprised.

“Savethelastdance was very, very impressive at Chester and brings very good form. Of course I’m going to be frightened by her, but we’ll give it a go.

“She has to run an extra furlong and a half, but all the signs are good, she settled well and she finished the race strongly. To me there are only three fillies who can win it – Running Lion, Savethelastdance and mine. The rest have got a big gap to bridge.”

Taghrooda, Enable and Anapurna have landed this race for the Gosdens since 2014, and none were favourites despite returning single-figure odds.

Running Lion: arrives on the back of four winsCredit: Edward Whitaker

In Soul Sister and Running Lion, who arrives on the back of four straight wins including in Listed company at Newmarket last time, they have two strong contenders.

Thady Gosden said: “Soul Sister obviously did not handle the heavy ground on her return at Newbury, but she showed her class when winning the Musidora when she enjoyed the step up in trip and better ground. She’s been in good form since and we’re hopeful she will handle the track and the step up to a mile and a half.

“Running Lion has improved with her racing and shows a great attitude. She won the Pretty Polly at Newmarket after which we took her to the Epsom gallops morning where she seemed to handle the track well. She’s been in good form since and we’re hopeful she will give another good account.”

Running Lion’s rider Oisin Murphy will be bidding for a fillies’ Classic double after victory aboard Mawj in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket last month.

The three-time champion jockey is 2-2 on David Howden’s homebred filly, who posted her first triple-figure RPR of 109 when winning the Pretty Polly.

Murphy said: “She’s trained very well and everyone seems really pleased with her. Like any race you hope you can give them every chance. It’s great to have her to ride, she’s third in the betting and it’s a super opportunity.”

Burke: 'She should be half that price'

This year’s Oaks might not appear ripe for an upset, but there have been five winners priced between 20-1 and 50-1 in the past 15 years and Karl Burke believes his outsider Bright Diamond could be the each-way value.

Clifford Lee’s mount was a keeping-on fifth behind the reopposing Eternal Hope in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on the all-weather last month having ended her two-year-old campaign by finishing third in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

Bright Diamond is a best-price 66-1 with bet365 and William Hill and a general 50-1 elsewhere – odds that underestimate her chance according to Burke.

He said: “She looks fantastic and I’m really pleased with her condition. There are a few with question marks over their stamina but she’s not one of them.

“I don’t see why she shouldn’t handle the track as she handled Goodwood. She’s overpriced at 50-1 – she should be half that price.”

Qualify struck at 50-1 in 2015, while 33-1 shot Look Here won in 2008 and 20-1 chances Dancing Rain, Was and Talent were successful in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

What they say

Jack Channon, trainer of Caernarfon
I’ve always thought the Guineas are among the better trials for the Epsom Classics and she’s come out of Newmarket, where she finished fourth, in great form. The better ground won’t be a problem, but the big thing is whether she stays. If she does she won’t be far away.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Eternal Hope
She started her career in a Wolverhampton novice in February and all she has done is improve. She’s stepped up and improved week on week and physically she’s got better all the time. She’s a trial winner at a track in Lingfield that tests a horse’s ability to handle sharp bends and she acquitted herself very well. It’s seen as a test for Epsom, which shouldn’t pose any problem for her. She put herself into the Oaks picture as a strong contender with that performance.

Charlie Appleby: runs Eternal HopeCredit: Edward Whitaker

David Menuisier, trainer of Heartache Tonight
She’s proven herself this year by running very well in two trials in France over ten and ten and a half furlongs. She stays very well and this trip should suit her. The two big question marks are the going and track. We felt it was nearly good ground on her return at Saint-Cloud and only if it really dries out on Friday will we consider her participation. The track is an unknown for all of them, but we’re pretty excited to see what she can do.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Maman Joon
We didn’t think she’d benefit from a prep run because she had quite a hard race on soft ground at Newbury on her debut. We’ve given her plenty of time and she went very well in her work the other day. I’m confident she’ll stay. There’s been some big-priced Oaks winners and it would be great if she could win, but we’d be delighted if she was placed.

Friday's Epsom previews:

2.00 Epsom: 'He has lots of ability' - Royal Ascot clues abound in Woodcote Stakes   

2.35 Epsom: 'He's a course winner, which is a definite benefit at Epsom' - analysis and key quotes for tricky handicap   

3.10 Epsom: Second time lucky: Can Westover and Emily Upjohn right the wrongs of last year's misfortunes in top-class Coronation Cup?   

3.45 Epsom: Course specialist Bad Company 'in rude health' - but will he handle quicker ground?   

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